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Day After the Funeral

Yesterday was hard but beautiful. There were so many there. I am just in awe. And they weren’t just there because they loved Denny (although that is also true), but so many of his friends who I haven’t even met expressed their love for me and my cute girls. Losing Denny has broken me. But there are so many things that are helping me put the pieces back together and his friends are one of them. They are accepting me as one of them and sharing with me all of the ways they want to help and be involved for years to come. Denny was blessed with amazing friends. And clearly, he blessed their lives and was there for many of them. I’m humbled and grateful to receive that friendship directly. 

Another thing that is helping me is watching the influence that the obituary and my original post from last Sunday have had. The Mortuary said they have never had so many shares, comments, and views on a post ever. As of yesterday, the post had been viewed over 5x the amount of the previously most viewed one. Friends, strangers, whoever. THIS SUICIDE EPIDEMIC HAS TO STOP. If you believe my post from Sunday or my obituary will help someone. Anyone. Please please please share. I spoke openly about depression and suicide at the funeral as well. This stigma and embarrassment is idiotic. It’s insane. And we need to stop it. Please please please share. Every day. For a year. Or just once. But please share. It’s helping people. 

My main mission in life is to be an amazing mom and to give these girls the best life possible, even though we are now mostly on our own. But I have found a new purpose this week. I want to share my message with as many people as I can reach. If it stops ONE person from dying of suicide, I would feel so fulfilled. This is what is going to help me pick up the rest of these pieces. 

I need your help. If you have any connections to any blogger, news outlet, website, organization, etc.... anywhere that would be willing to share my story or allow me to write something or whatever, please get them in contact with me. I want to spread my message. This is happening too much and it’s stupid that people won’t talk about it. It really is. I have had people reach out from across the country who don’t know me or Denny. They have said this has helped them or helped their spouse or daughter or uncle or... Please help me share this. Even if it’s a tiny ripple in a larger movement, I want to do whatever I can. Tag them, share my posts with them, help me find people who will help me spread the word and who have much greater ability to do so than I do. 

My email is daniebates@gmail.com
My phone number is 8018003093

❤️❤️❤️

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