A Story of Hope:

A simple act of kindness can make a tremendous impact on someone’s life. It could possibly even save it. We don’t know how others are experiencing life. Everyone has losses and personal struggles, many of us just don’t talk about them. When it got quiet, I started to process the loss of my husband to suicide in 2017, and the feelings of hopelessness that caused him to end his life.

Many people struggle with these thoughts from time to time or have loved ones who do. I am also one of them. There were days I did not want to get out of bed or shower, and if I am being honest, some days were challenging just to keep living but my kids kept me dedicated. My personal experience gave me a deep empathy towards the pain my husband was in. I thought to myself “I know I am not the only one feeling this way.” That’s how Hope Unite began.

Imagine with me what the world would be like if everyone who has experienced trauma over the last few years connected with one person each day to let them know that their life was valuable. Our world would undoubtedly be a different place.

My son and I started connecting with people every day by giving out positive affirmation rose cards. We call them the rose that never dies. We gave them to bank tellers, grocery store clerks, toll-booth attendants, basically everyone we came in contact with. My son would go up and ask, “can I give you a rose?” The answer was almost always yes. The phrase he made up was “Here is a rose that never dies for you to remind you that you are special." I watched people's hearts melt, along with my own.

In the following days, I would look at my son and say, “Let's go pass out some roses.” It is our hope and vision to blanket the world with the Rose that never dies. If we all connected to one person each day in a kind way, we could solve so many of the world’s problems.

As the movement has grown over 15,000 You Matter rose cards have been passed out across the globe. We connected with many people who were suffering silently that needed support so we began connecting them to resources and advocating support for them. This is how the Hope Unite Network began. We have been blessed to connect with others in need and guide them to support before a greater trauma could occur.

I often wonder if my husband was handed a You Matter rose that day would he still be here? There is rarely a day that goes by in which “what if?” does not cross my mind. The truth is that suicide does not end the pain, it transfers it to the person’s loved ones.

This movement has become the beauty created from our pain. Empathy begins with knowing that we all suffer and we all get opportunities to help others through that suffering which is how we heal. Thank you for taking the time to read our story. If you or someone you know is in need of support share your story to see if we can help.

With Love,

Crystal

Founder and Executive Director

Hope Unite International