The mother of Juice WRLD has penned a poignant open letter in honour of World Mental Health Day (October 10th).
Carmela Wallace also launched the new website for Live Free 999 Fund. The charitable organisation was established back in April.
It strives to launch programmes that compassionately address addiction, anxiety, and depression, and normalise the conversation around these issues, especially in underserved communities.
The website comes less than a year after Juice WRLD (real name Jarad Higgins) died at the age of 21 from an accidental overdose on December 8th, 2019.
To mark the new website’s unveiling and to coincide with World Mental Health Day, Wallace wrote an emotional letter discussing her experience as loving mother of a child who struggled with mental health, and how she hopes other parents can feel inspired by her words, and learn that “you do not have to suffer alone.”
“Jarad and I often had frank discussions about his struggles with addiction, anxiety and depression,” she wrote. “I think he felt comfortable being honest with me because I never judged him.
I recognized that what Jarad was dealing with was a disease and I know he truly wanted to be free from the demons that tormented him. As a parent, I believed early on and supported Jarad having access to counseling. I encouraged him to always share his feelings.”
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Wallace continued: “My message to the parents and children is simple. You do not have to suffer alone. You do not have to be ashamed of your mental health struggles. There is help. There is a way out.
On Mental Health Day 2020, I have launched a new website www.livefree999.org in the hopes that it will be a resource to those that are struggling. If we can help even one Mother and their son or daughter through our work here, Jarad’s death will have meaning and his positive, loving, creative spirit will endure.”
Read the full letter from Wallace at Billboard.
Check out ‘Up Up And Away’ by Juice WRLD:
