>> I'm Krista; I'm 15, and I just finished 10th grade.
My favorite thing in the entire world is music.
My goal is perhaps to get to college with music, maybe join a college marching band.
[Clear Command]
My friend called me one night, and I know that she was having some issues with her dad.
Her dad just got back from Iraq, and I knew there were some problems.
And she was saying things like, like, I don't know what to do anymore.
I really just want to run away right now. I want to disappear.
I thought she was going to do something bad to herself.
I thought she meant disappear as in forever.
She told me that everyone would be better off without her.
She never said explicitly that she was having thoughts about suicide, but I was so scared.
I didn't want anything at all to happen to her.
I had a feeling that she wanted it to stay a secret.
I felt that I needed to be there for her, and the way that I needed to do it
was to go to someone else because I didn't know what I needed to do.
The next day at school I went to the counselor's office and I sat down and I told her my friend's story.
She told me that what I really needed to do right now was to be a friend for her.
Let her know that I would be there for her.
My friend has gotten some counseling.
She's so much better.
She's gotten into a lot of extracurricular activities.
She's a lot more open with me.
I think I've gained a lot more of her trust.
It never, ever hurts to tell an adult.
It always helps to go to someone else.
[Clear Command]
If you hear someone talking about suicide or taking their life,
don't keep it a secret and don't ignore it.
Take all talk of suicide seriously and take action.
Tell an adult and get help for a friend.
My friend is alive because I reached out to help.
Call 1-800-273-TALK
or 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
[Clear Command]
[Music]
[Clear Command]
[Clear Command]
[Clear Command]
