In 2007 our family lost two brothers to depression and suicide within four weeks of each other. It was a devastating and life changing time for all of us. At the time, the only information we had about suicide was basically that people did it. We had no knowledge of the disease known as depression. We all asked ourselves, what could we have done? Why didn’t we know? All we knew was that no one wanted to talk about it.

Tony died by suicide first. He was the fun-loving brother who was always up for a good time. He had just had a son and appeared to be on top of the world. Armando died three weeks later. We never got his official cause of death, but we all suspected suicide since he had attempted it years earlier and we now know he suffered from depression for most of his life. Both Tony and Armando had done amazing things in their lifetime. Tony was a professional soccer player and not only won “Rookie of the Year” but also “Most Valuable Player” during the 1981 American Soccer League season when the Carolina Lightnin’ won the championship. Armando, who was legally blind, was not only artistic but once sailed a 30-foot boat from Italy to Savannah, Ga. We were all so proud of them so when we got the calls they had passed away we were crushed. We were lost. We did not understand how we didn’t see it coming.

Mission

Eliminate the stigma of depression and suicide by raising awareness and doing everything within our power to save one life at a time.

Inspire To Live is a Charity participating in the NASCAR Day Giveathon 2023 a Giving Day event, presented by The NASCAR Foundation.