Madison's radiant beauty shines through every photo on her Facebook and Instagram pages. My heart truly aches for this beautiful girl and the pain she must have been going through. Madison's passing reminds us that we never truly know what demons people are fighting on the inside. Madison's father, Jim Holleran, said his daughter expressed thoughts of suicide in December and had been seeing a therapist."My daughter's stress was self-induced, and although we had started her in therapy to address her issues, she hid the severity of those issues from everyone," he said. "We knew she needed help. She knew she needed help. She had lost confidence in academics, and she also lost confidence in her track abilities."
Madison was a successful track and soccer star, Ivy League student, and loved by many. Her sister described Madison's favorite activity to be "smiling".
Madison leaves behind her parents, 1 brother and 3 sisters. Her Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter pages have received an outpouring of grief and tributes to the young girl with so much ahead of her.I want to take this time to encourage anyone experiencing any self doubt the importance of talking to someone about it. We never truly know what someone else is going through, but it is times like these where it is important to encourage those going through tough times that things do get better.
In Madison's honor, a friend started a fundraiser to benefit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Click here to donate to the personal campaign, Running for Madison, where you can also read the touching story of Madison's friends' memory.
If you are in crisis, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Rest in Peace, Madison.
xo, Cee
Lots of ugly girls committed suicide last week too...but I guess they're not worth writing about.
ReplyDeleteHikeswnell, thank you for your comment. I understand the devastation of how many people, both young and old, have committed suicide recently. While everyone's story is important, I decided to write about Madison because like many girls, she had been fighting this battle with herself internally. Often, depression and suicidal thoughts are something that many people are afraid of sharing with others.
DeleteI hope to influence anyone reading this to speak out about any negative thoughts they are having and help themselves. If there is one person who read this and realized they needed to get help before it's too late, then I did what I set out to do. Madison had acknowledged that she needed help to her close family members, although hiding the severity of her issues.
My ultimate goal is to break the mold of how people view tough situations in their lives. When it comes to how we feel, there is nothing to be ashamed of - we are all human. In my opinion, learning to accept and deal with times of turmoil is one of the most important life lessons we can learn. We are all important. If we are battling thoughts in our own mind, there is always something that can be done to help. Unfortunately, many people do not seek help. By attempting to break the mold of how people view personal hardships, I hope to make it easier for those to speak out before it's too late. Everyone has a beautiful voice, but not everyone can realize how great they truly are.
xo Cee
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