48 years later and we are still fighting to save lives at a place where we know we can save lives

(This article discusses suicide. If you are in crisis, or need to talk to someone, call/text/chat 988. This article also deliberately does not mention the name or location of the public structure out of an abundance of caution.)

My friend Alan died by suicide in a small town in North Dakota 45 years ago next month.

There's not a day that goes by that I don't remember Alan, or the tragic aftermath of his death in a small, rural town at a time when nobody talked about suicide and his family was left with memories and little in the way of community support in their life.

Today, I have lived a lifetime since Alan's life ended on a cold day in November. I've had the privilege of having a family, traveling the world, experiencing great joy, sorrow and promise for a better day. I've had the honor to be involved with people, organizations and institutions committed to making the world more welcoming for others, supportive of the needs of communities and willing to fight to make things right for others.

So, today, I reflect on Alan, again, as I also reflect on the losses of Jeremy Lane, M.J. Weiss Blair and Ramesh Maddi who lost a brother, a daughter and a son to suicide at a location that has been known to take lives far too often for 48 years.

Despite the knowledge of this location. Despite the ability to harness the resources, knowledge, experience and talent to stop it from happening, 48 years later Jeremy, M.J., Ramesh, and countless others are still asking, "What will it take to save lives at this location?"

If we can find $10 million to renovate and protect a mansion, can we find less than $1 million to install temporary barriers and protect lives?

If a 49% increase in salaries for elected officials is needed to improve their standard of living, would it not also be possible to find an equal amount of money to save the life of even one person by installing temporary barriers on a public structure?

I believe the answer to both of these questions, hopefully, is a resounding "Yes" by everyone who has the power, the ability and the authority to make this happen.

Suicide is a tough and difficult topic and subject to talk about. Yet, in the 45 years since my friend, Alan, died by suicide, it is easier than ever before to talk about it. The stigma is continuing to fade away.

It's important we remember to share messages of hope and better days ahead. We know there is support that did not exist 45 or 48 years ago. We know we can save lives by focusing on the resources we have today.

It is important we are cautious with how we talk publicly about suicide at specific locations. It is important we do not glorify or dramatize suicide or methods or means.

We cannot, however, allow the hushed silence that has permeated for 48 years since Jeremy Lane's brother died by suicide at a location that M.J. Weiss Blair and Ramesh Maddi's daughter and son died at 47 years later to stop us from doing what's right.

Fix a problem and save a life.

Saving a life doesn't care about jurisdiction. It doesn't care about ownership. It doesn't care about the difficulty it takes to find barely $1 million out of combined budgets of $6.81 billion to install temporary suicide prevention barriers.

Can we find 0.014684287812041116% out of a budget of $6.81 billion dollars to finally make it clear to the friends and family of the 144 people, or the 240 people, who have died that 48 years is long enough?