HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Julie Ann Rocco lost her partner to suicide back in 2009. After that tragic loss, she went into a very dark place and even tried to take her own life, but survived.
"I know the pain. I know the suffering; I know the guilt that an individual endures because I carried it. That chatter just said, 'Alleviating your pain is alleviating their pain," explained Rocco when speaking to ABC Action News anchor Wendy Ryan.
The statistics on suicides are alarming. According to 2020 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 46,000 people died by suicide. That same year, every 11 minutes, someone kills themselves, and for every suicide death, there were 27 attempts and 275 people who just considered taking their life.
After suffering in silence with her own mental health and surviving a suicide attempt, Rocco realized she wanted to help others.
"As a suicide attempt survivor, I started researching; wait a minute, most individuals survive a suicide attempt. The power of connection is the power of saving lives," said Rocco.
That's when she created "What I Would Have Missed." A nonprofit organization that shares stories on the website of her blessings she now does not want to miss.
"I have two sons, grown men. Zach turns 30. And he invited me to go on his trip, too, so it's just Zach and me to Mexico City; I would have missed that. My son Nick got married. I have five great-nieces and nephews I would have never met," explained Rocco.
And although not every moment can be happy, Rocco said she doesn't want to miss even the sad memories she looks back on today.
"My father passed away last March. I would have missed telling him goodbye," said Rocco.
Now strangers are sharing their own suicide survival stories with her. Many share positive things that they are grateful they did not miss. At the same time, others use humor to cope.
“I had a Facebook post, and a woman said, as silly as it sounds, I don't want to miss Avatar three, four, and five. And if it takes as long to come out with three, four, or five as it did one and two, I'll be an old lady,” explained Rocco.
Rocco believes connecting with others can help "save your soul," and her mission reflects that. So she says communicate with someone because it could just save a life.
"The mission of What I Would Have Missed? I'll just state it. It's to build an international movement, to prevent suicide, and promote mental wellness by cultivating connections, community collaborations, and courageous conversations. If I believe someone will miss me if I believe I have a life that connects me to tomorrow, I create a reason to stay," said Rocco.
If you're interested in learning more about Rocco, you can clickclick here.
If you or someone you know is considering hurting themselves, please call 211 for the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay. You can also dial 988, which is the suicide prevention hotline.
