The morning of Alliy’s suicide was as normal as any other. The kids were getting ready for school and nothing seemed amiss other than Alliy being overly dressed for a warm day. Before leaving she kissed her siblings and told each one that she loved them. Alliy then told me she loved me and said goodbye as she walked out the door. That was the last time I would ever see my daughter.
We were not allowed to watch the video footage from the Golden Gate Bridge that morning confirming Alliy had jumped. However, a police officer confirmed that she left us at 10:17 a.m. on the morning of May 23, 2011. She was only 15 years old.
Ailly was a beautiful and persistent girl, an award-winning swimmer and an accompklished pianist. She was extremely bright and gifted in math and science. She was the oldest of four children and was very kind and caring to her siblings. Although she struggled inside, she was very good at masking her emotions to the outside world.
I blame no one for my daughter’s death, but looking back I recognize that there were opportunities for the teachers, coaches and family members in Alliy’s life to intervene and possibly save her. After Alliy’s death, we were given a journal that she kept as an assignment for her 10th grade Advanced English class. This was the first time I had seen this journal, and it was filled with clues to her inner turmoil.
I want to thank Sen. Richard Pan (Sacramento) and Sen. Anthony Portantino (Glendale) for their efforts to address these numbers head on by introducing Senate bill 428. This bill would ensure that teachers and school staff on every secondary school campus are trained in youth mental health first-aid (YMHFA), which teaches the necessary skills to recognize and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use in youth. They have daily access to our children and are on the frontlines of the youth mental health crisis.
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