SOUTH BRUNSWICK, N.J. — The mother and father of Stanford women’s soccer goalie Katie Meyer are talking out after their daughter’s dying by suicide.
The Meyers hope their message breaks the stigma and raises consciousness about athletes’ psychological well being.
“She died by suicide, and the final couple days are, like, a guardian’s worst nightmare and you do not get up from it, so it is simply horrific,” Katie’s mother, Gina Meyer, mentioned.
In an emotional interview on “As we speak,” Gina Meyer confirmed her 22-year-old daughter, Katie, took her personal life earlier final week. The promising Stanford goalie’s dying rocked the athletic world.
Meyer says she is talking out, hoping to forestall future tragedies. She says the stress between college and sports activities could have been an excessive amount of.
“There may be anxiousness and there’s stress to be excellent, to be one of the best, to be primary,” Meyer mentioned.
On the heels of the tragedy, the Metropolitan Riveters hockey workforce in New Jersey is upping their recreation and shining a highlight on psychological well being, holding a particular Psychological Well being Consciousness Evening throughout their recreation towards the Boston Satisfaction on Saturday.
“We attempt to knock down the boundaries to discovering entry to equal medical and psychological well being companies no matter what sport it’s,” scientific and sports activities psychologist Dr. Joe Galasso mentioned.
In doing that, gamers are assigned to a psychological well being coach. It is a gamechanger, says Riveters ahead Kelly Babstock.
“That basically helps rather a lot to get higher at your recreation, you understand, to speak in regards to the psychological well being aspect,” she mentioned.
They’re the primary workforce within the Ladies’s Hockey League to associate with a workforce of psychological well being professionals and provides gamers entry to an elite stage of care, together with psychological abilities coaching and behavioral well being companies.
“It is a onerous dialog to have and it is a deep one. And it actually cuts deep with lots of people. however I believe with video games like this and publicity like this, with our Psychological Well being Recreation, it spreads consciousness extra. And that what we have to do,” Riveters participant Nora Maclaine mentioned.
Gamers say similar to their food plan and health routines, they’re caring for their psychological well being recreation, giving it the identical quantity of help and a spotlight.
If you’re combating ideas of suicide or anxious a few cherished one, there’s assist obtainable.
You possibly can name the Nationwide Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (1-800-273-TALK) or textual content the phrase “TALK” to 741-741. It is free, confidential and obtainable 24 hours a day, seven days every week.
