“I know I probably need to do better, f*** whoever/keep my shit together/you never told me being rich was so lonely/nobody know me, oh well/hard to complain from this five-star hotel” – mac miller
at the beginning of 2018, i attended the mayor of rochester hill’s birthday party and met an incredibly compelling magician, anthony grupido. to make a long story short, anthony asked me to run his social media marketing after seeing my i am. blog. since then, we have become friends and i have gained a tremendous amount of respect for him and his story.
anthony grupido is a magician/suicide prevention speaker, who has battled depression and suicidal thoughts. he has used what he has gone through to help others and has become a well-known, well-respected figure in his own right (he was the opening act for darci lynn at the cherry festival in traverse city in july & recently pulled off harry houdini’s upside down, straightjacket escape at jimmy john’s field). he has accomplished so much in his young life, all while dealing with depression. he wrote this appeal for me as i am unqualified. the following is his message.
“i am. in pain
so many are in pain, but we look past it because their lives look so great on the outside. but, if being loved and adored by others is the cure for pain, robin williams would still be here making us laugh, marilyn monroe wouldn’t have died of suicide at 36, and Avicii, mac miller and so many others would still be here making music.
we need to share our pain and become vulnerable in front of others and trust. by sharing our pain with others, we are not only helping ourselves, we are letting others know that they are not alone, that their pain is not unique. by sharing your story, you can show others ways to cope.
by sharing my pain with others, i have created hope. you can do this too. even if for just one person… if you’re reading this, it’s because you are very much alive. so reach out to someone today and share your story. have a conversation about pain & love. never stop talking. never stop trying.”
