By Michael P Coleman
Believe it or not, it was forty years ago that Dorothy, the Scarecrow, and the rest of The Wiz’s gang eased on down the road in that 1978 feature. Later that fall, movie audiences learned to believe a man can fly in Superman: The Movie.
I saw both films within weeks of each other. I was 13 years old. That “double feature” may have very literally saved my life.
According to the Center for Disease Control, suicides are on the rise in the United States. In more than half of all deaths by suicide, the victim had no known mental health condition when they ended their life.
Just last week, I was touched by media reports of three different deaths by suicide, one of which being a 9 year old girl. Those stories moved me to open up about my own brush with suicide, and how two movies literally convinced me to take another path when I was just a kid and had my whole life ahead of me. My hope is that by sharing my story, I can help start a dialog and remove the stigma of mental health and suicide — and maybe help save a life.
People often ask me about why I always have a Superman insignia on, or why I listen to Diana Ross so much. For the first time, here’s that story!
Click here to read MPC’s full feature.
If you are thinking about suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. It provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. SuicidePreventionLifeline.org
Connect with Sacramento-based freelance writer Michael P Coleman at michaelpcoleman.com, follow him on Twitter at @ColemanMichaelP, or just walk up and say “hi” to the black guy in the Superman shirt.
