John–
My sweet, sensitive, fun, beloved brother Junior died by gun suicide in 1992. It's taken me a long time to be able to say that freely. But sharing Junior's story has given me my voice back, knowing his death has meaning, a greater purpose.
Junior valued our family and brought us together. I was the youngest and he loved to smother me with torturous cheek-pinching and called me his Piscean twin. Junior was also a romantic. In college, he fell in love with a girl, but it ended in heartbreak. He fell into depression which ultimately provoked the onset of schizophrenia. Junior battled this misunderstood mental illness for five heartbreaking years. When he couldn't bear the pain anymore, he ended his life due to easy access to a gun.
Too many people are experiencing suicidal crisis or mental health-related distress without the support and care they need. The latest research shows that the U.S. has one death by suicide about every 11 minutes. It's why the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a gamechanger.
You can call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org if you or someone you're worried about is having thoughts of suicide, a mental health or substance abuse crisis, or emotional distress. 988 offers free 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors who can help. And don't wait until you're on the brink of a struggle—you can call whenever you need support.
Talking openly about suicide and sharing resources is essential to ending the crisis. Share our social media posts about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You could help save someone's life.
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For many communities, including many Catholic and Asian families like mine, there is a shame associated with suicide. We lived by the rule "What happens in the family, stays in the family." We told people Junior "was shot," not that he shot and killed himself.
I literally and figuratively lost my voice after my brother died. For over 25 years, I lived with survivors' guilt, trying to bury my pain. It was only when I found my voice as a survivor that I started to truly heal. That's why I am so grateful to share Junior's story. It's an honor for me to keep his memory going, knowing that his story may help save one life or inspire someone to take action.
Suicide is a preventable crisis. There is hope. In addition to mental health support, removing access to a gun in a moment of crisis may be the difference between life and death. There are laws we can pass to keep people in distress away from guns: secure gun storage laws, extreme risk laws, and waiting periods to purchase a gun.
Thank you for reading my story and honoring Junior's life by taking action,
Mia Livas Porter
She/Her/Hers
Survivor Fellow and Volunteer Leader
California Chapter of Moms Demand Action
