Group works to stop suicide

The Stop Suicide Foundation of Bethlehem, a special project under the CREATE Foundation, is working to prevent suicide in Marshall County.

David and Fruzsina Carson are creating a retreat center for people with traumatic brain injuries and will be speaking in various locales, including in schools.

Carson, a survivor of traumatic brain injury and many suicide attempts, spoke before the Holly Springs Mayor and Board of Aldermen regarding efforts to raise awareness of suicide as a cause of death among veterans, athletes and children.

“Suicide and its surrounding topics are very sensitive subjects, and so it is no coincidence that God has been giving me opportunity after opportunity to talk about suicide to all kinds of folks,” he said.

He cited the hopelessness that attends those who carry heavy burdens.

“I found hope after more than a decade of one attempt following another to kill myself,” he said.

His last suicide attempt was four years ago after the founder of the Patrick Risha Foundation learned about his story.

He said Patrick Risha, who died of suicide, was found at autopsy to have chronic traumatic encephalopathy

“I found hope by helping others stay alive and beat this condition,” he said

It is by helping others that Carson said he is able to remember how precious life is. He finds peace in ministering to those who are also tormented.

He and his wife Fruzsina, started the non-profit organization, Stop Suicide Foundation, so they can share what helped them with others. The couple recently moved to Marshall County and are in the process of sharing their vision of hope with people in surrounding counties.

Their vision is to build a world-class holistic healing center and retreat in the Bethlehem area. The retreat, New Jerusalem, will help those, who are endangered because of traumatic brain injury, to heal.

“We are not planning to become a traditional health care facility, but rather a sanctuary of nature, far from noise and stress that’s so common in all the densely populated areas of our country,” he said. “The park inside New Jerusalem will be open to the public.

He said the retreat also serves as a homestead for permaculture or self-sustaining farming.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a progressive and fatal brain disease associated with repeated traumatic brain injuries including concussions and repeated blows to the head.

The hotline for suicide and crisis lifeline is 988. The 988 lifeline provides 24/7, confidential support to people in suicidal crisis or mental health-related distress. By calling or texting 988, the caller is connected to mental health professionals with the Lifeline network.