Suicide prevention is personal for University of Kentucky senior Taylor Dotson of Versailles.
When she was 11 years old, her father, Blake, took his own life, leaving behind a wife and Taylor’s 9-year-old brother, Luke.
“I don’t even think I knew what suicide was, like it really was not talked about,” said Dotson.
Now 21, Dotson wants to open up the conversation about mental health and suicide prevention by sharing her dad’s story. She remembers him as a silly, hands-on dad who took her turkey hunting once – but only once.
“We didn’t catch anything because I was talking the whole time and scared them off,” she laughed.
Her father’s “bigger than life” personality made him a popular guy, but in 2014, a job loss darkened his spirit. He became depressed and more withdrawn, but no one imagined he was capable of suicide.
“Which honesty kind of makes it that much more important, too, because it’s something most people wouldn’t expect,” said Dotson.
I didn’t expect it either. Dotson’s father was Uncle Blake to my two children and another niece and nephew. His death hit our family hard.