Kevin
Kevin
If you can’t see the light, I will sit with you in the dark
I’ve had conversations with a few of my coworkers and a few friends who have gone through some rough times.
I feel I’ve helped them because I went through a rough time myself, and I know what they’re going through.
For Kevin, the key to helping others is empathy, not sympathy. Not long ago, while going through an extremely difficult time in his personal life, Kevin attempted suicide by shooting himself in the chest.
Luckily, Kevin survived, as police officers were able to reach him in time and get him to a hospital. Today, he draws on his experience to help others who may be facing personal and professional struggles.
Having never experienced depression before, I didn’t understand what was happening to me. Things went downhill very quickly for me, and that led to my suicide attempt.
I was on life support for a few days. When I woke up and shook off the grogginess, I was accepting of everything that was going on in my life and felt happy.
It’s hard to explain why I felt this way. I’ve never felt ashamed or embarrassed about what I’d done. I also wanted to get back to work as soon as I could.
Nine weeks after entering the hospital, Kevin returned to his role as a relief officer and field training officer at Maine State Prison.
He is posted throughout the prison, assisting with a number of tasks, including inmate transports. He also trains new officers who have been assigned to the facility.
He credits the support he received from friends and co-workers for helping with his recovery.
I didn’t realize how many friends I had and how much they cared about me. Before my suicide attempt, many of my coworkers could tell I was having trouble coping and tried to reach out to me.
If I had understood more about the depression I was experiencing, I may have accepted their help and avoided the whole incident.
Since then, I’ve received a lot of support from my friends and coworkers at the prison—and they’re still very supportive.
Beyond his day-to-day duties, Kevin takes part in a statewide peer support group to help other officers who may be facing stress, anxiety, or other mental health struggles.
With the support group, we can sit and talk about anything. It’s very informal, and it’s private and confidential.
Sometimes, you can recommend that people get professional help, but sometimes we just talk about what’s going on in their lives.
This ability to relate to individuals in trouble is important to Kevin. His empathy comes from his experience with depression and his belief that it’s important to ask for help if you need it.
With this in mind, Kevin shares a quote that sums up his feelings about support, empathy, and reaching out:
If you can’t see the light, brother, I will sit with you in the dark.
