Not Alone

I have been sharing my story now for a couple of years. I am open about it in hopes that it can bring hope in someone else’s life. I believe a common denominator in suicide is that, not only does an individual want to end an unseen emotional and mental suffering, but that they feel unbearably alone as well.

I thought I was alone three years ago when I led police on a high-speed chase, pistol in my hand, ready to not survive the night. Luckily, something greater than myself had other plans. The pursuit ended after I rolled my truck down an embankment, roughly a distance of 75 ft. When I woke up, rolling through the hospital on a gurney, I heard a voice say “We love you buddy.” I nearly snapped the neck brace as I turned to see about 30 people who had shown up at the hospital. Friends and family who were scared and concerned for me. I found out quickly how not alone I was.

Recently death spoke to me in a dream. All this time I thought that the end was something to be feared. Instead, the Reaper showed me that death is a motivator for life. Death is a reminder to live. No matter how hard it gets, I am grateful to be alive every damn day.

-UDC Athlete, Dylan Bernal