My life changed when my son died by suicide at the age of 23 after being diagnosed with schozophrenia five years earlier.. At the time I didn’t even know what that meant and since then I have been on a mission to educate and create awareness about mental illness and the reality of mental health recovery. Currently I am the O.P.T.I.O.N.S. Coordinator for Mental Health America of Arizona presenting depression and suicide prevention education in local high schools. I feel fortunate to have found work that I’m passionate about and I’m a fierce advocate for people living with mental illness.

My husband passed in 1986 while riding in a car driven by a drunk driver who crashed the car. If I could snap my fingers and have my husband or my son back I would, but I am thankful for the person I have become because of the tragedies I have experienced.

In my spare time I sell real estate for HomeSmart Realty in Tucson. My daughter loves life in Seattle and we visit each other as often as possible
She is the most evolved person I know.