Kevin Hines: Mental Health Advocate, Best Selling Author, Survivor

Aug 17, 2022

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“Life is a gift, that is why they call it the present. Cherish it always.”
That’s the mantra of this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast, Kevin Hines.
Kevin attempted to take his life by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. Miraculously, a sea lion kept him afloat until the Coast Guard arrived. He is one of only thirty-six (less than 1%) to survive that fall. He shares his compelling story of hope, healing, and his will to live with Marcus. His story was featured in the 2006 film The Bridge by film director and producer, Eric Steel. Kevin has inspired millions worldwide in the art of wellness and the ability to survive pain with true resilience. “Be here tomorrow...”

In this episode you will hear:

My biological parents had me on a diet of Kool-Aid, Coca-Cola, and sour milk.
My parents would leave me and my brother unattended to go score and sell drugs. Then Child Protective Services picked us up and put us in foster care.
The only time I ever lost faith was when I stood atop the Golden Gate Bridge looking down. I found it on my way down.
There’s a high number of suicidal teens who went through foster care. Many were abused and neglected by the ones in place to protect them.
[Marcus] “I think the kids that go through it, are the ones who can fix it.”
I finally ended up with foster parents who saved my life. They gave me a beautiful childhood.
At 17 my brain broke. I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and then things got completely out of control.
I had auditory hallucinations telling me I had to die.
If somebody would have just asked me, I would’ve just told them the truth of my situation.
I left a suicide note in my backpack because I wanted my family knows I loved them.
When I was still underwater, I thought, “I’m gonna die here and no one's gonna know I don’t want to. No one's gonna know I made a mistake.”
On that [Coast Guard] boat, I made a cognitive decision: I would never again attempt to take my life as long as I should live, no matter the pain I’m in.
When you encounter a suicidal person, it’s about being with them in the moment. “What do you need from me to say here? How can I help keep you on this planet?”
My new motto is: I’m gonna be here tomorrow, and every day after that, no matter the pain I’m in.
Every moment of every day is a good moment.
It’s a privilege to exist.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988

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https://www.kevinhinesstory.com/

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