🎧 Content Warning:
This episode contains open and honest discussions about suicide, self-harm, and mental health struggles. The conversation may be distressing for some listeners.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please reach out for help.
In the U.S., you can call or text 988 to connect with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You are not alone—help is available 24/7.
PART 1 OF 3 PART SERIES
A boy we once called “Little Will” returns as a 17-year-old with a story that’s equal parts heartbreak and hard-won hope. What starts as casual banter about sports, Fortnite, and bowling opens into the quiet realities of bullying’s “little things,” the late-night tears no one saw, and the spiral that followed—slipping grades, lost identity, and the heavy thought that disappearing might hurt less. Will takes us to Halloween 2022, when a party no one attended became more than a bad night; it became a fault line. He shares, with raw honesty, the suicide attempt that nearly ended everything, the days he woke to tubes and warnings he might never walk or talk again, and the rehab victories that most of us overlook—throwing a football, laughing with a friend, tasting joy in small, sweet rituals.
The path back wasn’t straight. After the hospital came a slide toward the crowd that accepts quickly but cares little—smoke, drinking, and numbing out. Then a moment of clarity: a slip at a pumpkin patch, a palm through glass, and a thought that wouldn’t let go—What am I doing? Homeschool followed, along with a deliberate retreat from social media and the empty currency of likes. Will speaks to every kid chasing approval on a screen: you won’t remember who commented when you’re sixty. What you will remember is who answered when you called, who showed up at your bedside, and who told you to stay.
The turning point has a name for Will: Jesus Christ. He describes a steady return—Switch youth nights, notes in his phone, verses highlighted, prayers at night and in the morning. He found a community that meets mistakes with grace and helps him aim at meaning instead of metrics. We talk about redefining acceptance, inviting friends even if they’re “not church people,” and building a life with simple, solid steps: a job at Ace Hardware to get better with people, plans for trade school in plumbing or electrical, and a clear goal—graduate and keep going. He honors the courage of his sister, who found him and called 911, and the steadfast love of parents who gave time and fought for his recovery.
RESOURCES
If you or someone you know is in pain, feeling hopeless, or thinking about suicide — please reach out for help. You are not alone, and your story is not over. In the U.S., you can call or text 988 right now to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — it’s free, confidential, and available 24/7. Veterans can press 1 after dialing 988 to connect directly with the Veterans Crisis Line.You can also find resources online at:
- 🌐 988lifeline.org
- 🌐 VeteransCrisisLine.net
- 🌐 NAMI.org/Help
(National Alliance on Mental Illness) - 🌐 MakeTheConnection.net
(Stories and resources for Veterans)
Thank you for listening to The Connection Podcast with Jay Miralles. Please subscribe and share!
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