Doug asked, "Sean, do you know if Kevin has ever attempted suicide before or actually said he wants to commit suicide?" “He has never said anything like that to me,” Sean responded. Jenny then asked, "Do you know what to do if he attempts suicide when you are around?" Sean said soberly. "I would get him to an emergency room right away.” The flashback was chillingly clear. One moment Sean was gulping down pills, the next he was in the emergency room with a tube down his throat. His mom and Doug and Jenny were there too, crying and praying. “And if Kevin threatens suicide or if you find a suicide note," Jenny continued, "do you know what to do?" Sean responded, "Call for help right away. Kevin is my friend, I'll do anything I can to help him. After all, someone loved me enough to help me. But I don't want to wait until the last minute to help him. So what can I do?"
Jenny responded, "Doug and I learned that kids are kids, whether they are Christians or not. One thousand teenage students attempt suicide every day in our country, eighteen actually succeed. Lots of kids suffer from stress, unfulfilled needs and loneliness. Some kids live in families scarred by separation, divorce and rejection. Some experience clinical depression. Others feel trapped in seemingly hopeless situations and are looking for an easy way out. Many kids today are seriously starved for attention, and they will try anything to get it - even suicide. Doug and I have learned to watch for the warning signs and to treat the cause, not just the symptoms."
"That's what I want to do for Kevin," Sean insisted. "Will you help me?" Jenny and Doug were glad that Sean had talked to them and shared a few key concepts with Sean as they finished their hamburgers. That night Sean lay awake thinking about what Doug and Jenny had said. He prayed hard that Kevin would not try anything foolish before he was able to show his friend how much he cared for him.
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