Check On Your Strong Friends

When Success Doesn’t Protect You From Silent Struggle

This week, headlines carried the devastating news of the passing of NFL wide receiver Rondale Moore at just 25 years old.

A professional athlete.
A former standout at Purdue University.
A young man living what many would call “the dream.”

And still, gone far too soon.

When someone young, talented, and visibly successful passes unexpectedly, it shakes people.

Because it challenges the lie we quietly believe:

That success protects you.
That money protects you.
That strength protects you.
That visibility protects you.

It doesn’t.

In recent years, suicide has become one of the leading causes of death in the United States. According to the CDC, nearly 50,000 lives were lost in 2023 alone, the highest number ever recorded in a single year.

That is roughly 135 people every day.

And most of them did not look like they were struggling.

They were the dependable one.
The high achiever.
The athlete.
The “strong friend.”

The one who always showed up.

We are living in a time of amplified pressure:

Economic instability.
Performance culture.
Digital comparison.
Isolation masked by constant connection.

And for young people, especially young girls, the expectation to appear confident, capable, emotionally regulated, and unbothered is crushing.

They are taught to perform strength before they are taught to process pain.

But here is the truth:

Suicide is preventable.

Not 100% of the time.
Not in ways that are simple.
But prevention is possible.

Research consistently shows that protective factors matter:

Connection.
Access to mental health care.
Early intervention.
Safe spaces.
Belonging.

When people feel seen, heard, and valued, risk decreases.
When isolation increases, vulnerability increases.

This is why conversations matter.

This is why mentorship matters.

This is why safe space is not just a phrase, it is a lifeline.

At The Campbell House, we are not just building programs.
We are building environments where girls can say:

“I’m not okay.”

Without fear.
Without shame.
Without being told to just “push through.”

If you are the strong friend,
You are allowed to need support too.

If you are worried about someone,
Ask the question.
Research shows asking directly does not “plant the idea.” It opens the door.

And if you or someone you know is struggling:

📞 Call or text 988 in the United States for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
💬 You can also chat via 988lifeline.org.
Help is available 24/7.

We do not honor lives by avoiding the conversation.

We honor them by choosing connection over comfort.
By checking in.
By slowing down.
By noticing.

Check on your strong friends.

They might be carrying more than you know.

🖤