Our 19-year-old son, Adam, who had just started his sophomore year at Ursinus college, tragically and unexpectedly took his own life on 9/25/2022. One of the very few ways that we can find any comfort in losing our son is to try and pay it forward, so we are committed to transparently sharing his story to help raise awareness in hopes that it will help others.
Adam was a brilliant young man, funny, socially engaging, kind-hearted and selfless. He was a no-frills kind of person who always put others first; the quiet-confident type. Adam didn't sweat the small stuff; he was go-with-the-flow but would dig his heels in and plead his case for issues that mattered to him. Adam was an exceptional older brother who was a loving mentor and confidant to his younger brother, Aaron. While these are the words of a very proud family, they were affirmed by the hundreds of family members, friends, students, teachers, and community members that reached out and showed up when they learned of his passing.
Around 15 years old, Adam struggled with teenage depression, as many teenagers do. We talked with him about it, and he spent time with a therapist to help him through it. Adam still struggled but gradually improved through the remainder of his high school years. He really blossomed when he started college. Adam excelled academically, making the dean’s list both semesters his freshman year. He thrived in the campus community, meeting new people, and making new friends. Adam was the happiest we'd seen since he was primary school-age.
As we've come to learn after the fact, Adam suffered from a mental condition in which he had a distorted perception of himself and suffered deep depression. Despite his many friends and family who loved him, how smart and kind he was, his strong work ethic, and all the many lives he positively impacted, Adam could not see himself the way others did. Adam internalized his pain and made great efforts to hide his depression to protect those he loved. Adam never wanted to pull others down.
Our hope in sharing Adam’s story is to continue his legacy of trying to help as many others as we can by helping raise awareness about mental health, as well as help remove the stigma and encourage open dialogue.
RIP our sweet Adam, you will be forever loved and never forgotten.
