Tyler Hilinski was a dedicated athlete, star quarterback and remarkable young man who went on to play football at Washington State University and then died by suicide on January 16, 2018. Per the family website, he showed no prior signs of depression or struggle. The Hilinski family has worked tirelessly to destigmatize mental illness and raise awareness about suicide prevention after losing their son so that others may learn the signs of depression, provide resources to other athletes and coaches and provide space to have these difficult discussions.
They’ve partnered with Ross Szabo with Behind Happy Faces to create a comprehensive mental health curriculum that they utilize in their sessions with student-athletes. They also collaborated with StepUp!, which is a “prosocial behavior and bystander intervention program” that engages participants to learn specific, concrete skills to identify and speak up if they see someone struggling with mental illness.
Check out their website, take a listen to their UNIT3D podcast, and join the conversation around mental health.
What 3 things can our athlete network do to support this incredible organization?
Join the 3for3 Challenge!
- Speak your support
- Challenge your friends
- Donate to the cause
Sample Script:
“I’m doing the #3for3 Burpee Challenge with @HilinskisHope to raise awareness for mental health. I’m going to do 3 burpees to get up for those who are down. I challenge {@friend1 @friend2 @friend3} to do the same and/or text H3HOPE to 44321 to DONATE. Let’s break the stigma together and increase mental health resources for student athletes.”
Donate today and follow them on social media @HilinskisHope
Contact them today to bring H3H to hold a session with your team.