Letters

Mental Health Awareness

Letters
Monday, April 1, 2019

I am very concerned about the conclusions stated in “Incident Reports” in the February issue of Parachutist. Although I agree that nobody should skydive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, I find it concerning that so much of the conclusion was dedicated to the issue of the THC content in the jumper’s body when the death was officially ruled a suicide. The article made no mention at all of the awareness of mental health issues or any reference to suicide prevention steps. Depression and other dangerous mental health issues need to be recognized as a potential safety concern and, when spotted, treated with as much urgency as any other safety issue. I believe Parachutist should at the very least inform its readers of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255.

Travis Bader | D- 36061
Omaha, Nebraska

Editor’s note: We agree with the letter’s author that this was a serious omission and intend to address mental health issues more thoroughly in the future.