Emma Wilkinson

I'm swimming to save lives

“The hardest part about suicide is thinking you really know someone — and realising too late that you missed the signs.” — Jake Johnson

I didn’t realise how much one of my closest friends was struggling until he called me on my birthday and told me he’d driven out to a paddock a few days earlier because he didn’t want to be here anymore. Something stopped him, and thankfully, he reached out for help.

We always told each other “I love you” when we hung up the phone. That night, it meant everything.

Another friend had been open about his mental health. He posted encouraging messages, told me he was on the mend, and spoke about a future he was excited for. We were making plans to catch up. His last message to me was about getting a job overseas unusual, but not unbelievable. I still don’t know how close that message was to the moment he lost his life. I'm not sure I want to. 

For years after phone calls out of the blue would startle me.

And like many people who lose someone, I’ve carried around the "did I do enough"

Suicide remains the leading cause of death for young people in Australia.
More than 1 in 3 young people are experiencing mental health challenges, and over a million aren’t getting the support they need.

That’s why I’m taking part in Laps for Life, supporting ReachOut.

ReachOut provides free, anonymous, 100% online support so young people have somewhere safe to turn when life feels overwhelming.

For me, swimming has always been that safe place. Growing up with ADHD and being bullied for standing out, water became where I could breathe, reset and feel like myself again. I joke that I just need to “add water to recalibrate”  but it’s true.

I’m swimming to help make sure that safe space exists for young people who don’t know where to turn.

If you can, please donate to my fundraiser and help more young people get the support they deserve.

Thank you for being part of this.