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Ren\u00e9 Rosendahl experienced the worst tragedy a parent can endure. Ren\u00e9\u2019s son, Bradley, died by suicide in 2011. In her darkest hour, she didn\u2019t know where to turn. Then she got a call from Face It Foundation cofounder Bill Dehkes, who had been Bradley\u2019s softball teammate.<\/p>\n
\u201cI remember Bradley telling me about a friend of his who had just started this organization helping men with depression,\u201d Ren\u00e9 says. \u201cI didn\u2019t know Bill at that time. I just knew that Bradley admired him and was really happy about what he was doing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dehkes put her in touch with other mothers who had lost children to suicide. Over time, a core group of about six members began meeting regularly for dinner, attending retreats and supporting each other through their grief. Over time, Ren\u00e9 has made herself available for others in their time of need, the way Dehkes did for her.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know of other moms who are just starting on this journey, and they know I\u2019m available when they\u2019re ready. You have to be ready,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s just been the last year that I\u2019ve finally accepted the fact that this is reality.\u201d<\/p>\n
After turning to alcohol to self-medicate his depression, Bradley went through treatment and lived in recovery for eight years, helping countless other young men he sponsored along the way.<\/p>\n
\u201cTreatment was hard, because his circle of friends were drinking buddies. It took him awhile to embrace that and actually start working the program,\u201d Ren\u00e9 says. \u201cHe was 20 years old when he got sober. And he ended up sponsoring lots of young men \u2013 he helped so many people.\u201d<\/p>\n
Evidence of Bradley\u2019s impact was obvious after he died.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt seems like I might be exaggerating the numbers as years go by, but I think there were 700 people at his visitation,\u201d Ren\u00e9 says. \u201cPeople waited in line for a couple of hours just to get through. It was amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n
He had gone back to college and completed his degree in political science at the University of Minnesota. But depression was lurking under the surface of an otherwise successful and accomplished young man.<\/p>\n
\u201cBradley had the biggest heart and the kindest heart and he never would do anything to hurt anyone, so it\u2019s hard to understand,\u201d Ren\u00e9 says. \u201cBut he had to be in excruciating pain.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now his mother is giving her own pain a purpose, with the help of Face It.<\/p>\n
\u201cFace It has brought me encouragement and hope, that Bradley\u2019s story might help someone,\u201d Ren\u00e9 says. \u201cAnd just the support that they have offered the moms. They have a heavy burden already with the guys, but they still give more. It\u2019s incredible. They just keep giving.\u201d<\/p>\n