Kevin Hines once tried to end his own life. Now he’s living to help others learn to cope in theirs.
Hines is one of only 36 people (about one percent) to have survived a jump off the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco. He will make two separate presentations at Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) on Nov. 6, sharing his story and discussing what can be done to prevent mental health problems from leading to suicides.
The public is invited to attend Hines’ free presentation at 2 p.m. in the Casper Conference Center of CVTC’s Business Education Center, 620 W. Clairemont Ave.
Hines attempted suicide in 2000, two years after being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. Since then, he has become a mental health advocate, award-winning global speaker, bestselling author and documentary filmmaker who reaches audiences with his story of an unlikely survival and a strong will to live.
In sharing his story, Hines fosters a bridge of hope between life and death for people caught in the pain of living with serious mental illness and difficult life circumstances. He will also share his steps for “living mentally well,” according to a CVTC press release, which added that his audiences come away with a knowledge of how to build their own toolkit for maintaining mental wellness for themselves and for their loved ones.
Hines has spoken to millions of people about the art of wellness and the ability to survive pain with true resilience, according to his website. His basic message is always the same: You are not alone. Recovery is possible.
In addition to his public presentation, Hines will speak on the morning of Nov. 6 to students, staff and some local emergency responders at CVTC’s Energy Education Center. This session will be geared toward first responders.
Hines will share his story as a patient being taken to a mental health facility on an involuntary hold and what made the experience a good one.
Note: the home page picture, from Kevin Hines’ website, shows him wearing a T-shirt imprinted with the start of his motto. The remainder of the motto is “and every day after that.” The Golden Gate bridge is in the background.