BE HERE TOMORROW
An Interview with Kevin Hines
In recognition of National Recovery Month and Suicide Prevention Week, we interviewed Kevin Hines, advocate, public speaker, and survivor of suicide in September 2021. We’ve prepared an abbreviated version of the interview for Suicide Prevention Month this year. Kevin’s wisdom is evergreen, and is even more relevant today…
Kevin Hines jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge when he was 19 years old. He survived and became an influential author, speaker, and activist in the mental health community. Years later his dad picked him up from college a year after his suicide attempt, drove him to the bridge, and said “We need to find closure.” Together, they said a prayer and dropped some flowers into the water. As they floated, a sea lion played with them, a poignant reminder of how sea lions had supported him in the water after his jump. “It blew our minds,” Kevin said. “It was a moment of closure that I will never forget… I still go back there from time to time; it is a beautiful bridge – and a harbinger of death.”
Kevin has since dedicated his life to suicide prevention work. Motivated and sustained by the feedback he receives from people about how his words have changed their lives, Kevin emphasizes that the hard work of changing perception and reality is done by the individuals themselves, and he hopes that his story might be helpful in that process. He believes that storytelling is a powerful way of conveying hope to people. “Statistics tend to get lost in people’s minds; stories stay forever.”
Kevin stated that progress is being made in the field of suicide prevention. He feels that today more people than ever before are talking about suicide prevention, although he acknowledged that the numbers are still scary and that there is still much work to be done. “Children should be taught to tell their truth about their struggles and unburden themselves to their parents.” Advocating for education about suicide and mental health, Kevin said that children should be introduced to these issues in the fourth grade, and parents should start learning about mental health when their children are still in the womb. Kevin is a proponent of Youth Mental Health First Aid. He said, “MHFA has helped a lot of people having hard times to find a safe place.”
“If somebody had approached me on the day of my suicide-attempt to ask if I was ok, I probably would not have jumped.” This is why Kevin encourages people to check on others, especially if they are having a tough time. He acknowledged that it could feel daunting to do this – especially with somebody we don’t know – but, he said, “It can be the catalyst to changing that person’s life. Be a caring human – show compassion.”
Kevin knows that he will never attempt suicide again, recognizing that life is precious and that he is so motivated to help others. “I get to fight this,” he said. “Life is a gift.” Kevin’s own self-care involves exercise, healthy eating, refraining from drugs and alcohol, ongoing learning about bipolar disorder, and having a strong support system which includes “Margaret, my lovely wife.”
Future initiatives Kevin is focusing on include upcoming titles of “The Art of Wellness” and “Brain Health is Sexy: The Lived Experience.” His motto has become a popular hashtag: #beheretomorrow. Learn more at his website: https://www.kevinhinesstory.com/(.)
If you are feeling at risk of suicide or struggling with any feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, or depression, help is available, call or text: 988 from anywhere, anytime.
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988