Woman shares story of loss, speaks out on World Suicide Prevention Day

Amy Nolden lost her father and brother to suicide just five years apart.

Her father, Scott Ollerman, died when he was 49 years old in 2011; her brother, Bobby Ollerman died when he was 25 years old in 2016.

“With my dad, there were definitely signs,” she said. “With my brother, he was a week away from getting married.”

Nolden is no stranger to suicidal thoughts.

“I had my first thoughts of suicide when I was 13 years old,” she said.

She’s struggled with her own mental health for years, but said self care and her children have motivated her to not take her own life.

“I think it starts with me and it starts with the conversation. I’m working with my 3-year-old now on talking about our feelings,” she said. “What I went through with my brother and my dad, it shattered my whole life. My biggest fear is losing someone I love again to suicide, but especially my children.”

While she works to openly talk about emotions with her children, she eventually wants to help on a larger platform.

“I plan to go back to school and get my masters in counseling and then I would like to work really closely with suicide prevention,” Nolden said.

She added while World Suicide Prevention Day is a great place to start taking action and advocate, mental health is an everyday thing that needs constant attention.

“Reach out to someone and ask how they’re doing, ask how their day is, you know, how can I help you,” she said. “I think that really is the biggest measure that we can take to help the people we love.”