On Jan. 29, Bishop Gorman Substance Aubse and Suicide Awareness (SASA) welcomed former Major League Baseball player Drew Robinson and his service dog, Ellie, to share powerful mental health insight and his struggle with suicidal ideation, leading up to and after attempted suicide.
Robinson was born and raised in the Las Vegas valley, where he attended Silverado High School and was drafted out of high school by the Texas Rangers. Over the course of 12 seasons, Robinson played with the Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Francisco Giants.
On Apr. 16, 2020 he tragically attempted to take his own life but miraculously survived and was inspired to help others and be an advocate for mental health. Today Robinson currently works in the mental health & wellness department with the San Francisco Giants, coining the term, “Strength Isn’t Always Physical.”
At the club meeting, Robinson offered students tips and advice on how to support others with mental health challenges, as well as different strategies for dealing with their own mental struggles.
He shared that it is important to look after mental wellbeing, even if someone is not currently struggling with a mental health issue, since no one ever knows if they might one day deal with those things, or know someone who is. He did not even notice that he was struggling until it was too late. “I was living a stigma I didn’t even know I was a part of,” Robinson shared.
He also shared inspirational information on what he has personally learned about himself after the accident and how he now has a different look on life.“But I think what I’ve learned is that I have a lot of life to live, a lot more to learn about myself, a lot more experiences, and there’s going to be ups and downs and challenges that come with,” Robinson said.
Robinson also had the chance to reflect on how he used to think and talk to himself, and realize how he has turned a corner to better his life and mental health. “It is how resilient I am, I would have felt arrogant saying that a couple years ago, but I think this and my journey is a pretty stark reminder of just how resilient I am and how anybody can be,” he shared about what he learned about himself in the healing chapter of his life.
During the meeting he also shared a quote that he would have wanted to hear in his time of struggles. He shared the quote, “People would rather hear from you than about you” which he believes could have changed his mentality, and feels can influence anyone struggling with their mental health today. This quote can help students think about the bigger picture and the people surrounding them before they make an irreversible decision.
Overall, Robinson shared powerful insights about a topic that is prevalent in today’s society, and his story of overcoming challenges shows just how strong the human spirit can be. He is an inspirational figure and living proof that you can conquer anything.
To sum up his message, Robinson shared, “Everything is temporary, so whether things are bad, I have hope that things will always be this way to feed that faith for the future and when things are going well, really practice gratitude and really soak in that good time and really reinforce and strengthen that hope.”
For more information on SASA, reach out to Mrs. Cross at [email protected] or follow @bghssasa on Instagram.
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact Suicide & Crisis lifeline dial 988.
