About Us
We want to make something good out of something tragic, and support our youth in their journey of fixing the stigma of mental health.
Our Story
Our son, Robbie Eckert, took his life Thursday, October 11, 2018. It is a day that will be forever etched in our hearts and minds—the moment our lives were changed forever.
Robbie was a witty, compassionate High School sophomore with lots of friends, good grades, and hopes and plans for his future. Yet unbeknownst to his family, teachers and closest friends, he was suffering silently. While he internalized his pain, privately battling with intense darkness, he was adored by those around him for his positivity and compassion in everything he did—and everyone he touched. An avid swimmer and tennis player, Robbie poured his heart into his passions and the people he shared them with. He taught young golfers through First Tee of Denver and young swimmers at Rolling Hills Country Club. They all looked up to him. He loved them back.
We will always remember Robbie for the grace, kindness and joyful presence he brought to our lives. We are determined to carry on his legacy in a way that honors the way he lived—putting others first, lifting others up, and being a positive influence in other people’s lives. By doing this, his spirit lives on in the most beautiful way—he is the reason we fight every day, with all we have, to empower the next generation of teens to erase the stigma around mental health. It is our mission, that not so far in the future, teen suicide will be a rarity rather than a staggering statistic.
Robbie’s Challenge
In the fall of 2018 we issued a challenge to our youth in Robbie’s name.
- Befriend someone outside of your social circle, someone in need.
- Be their ear to listen, shoulder to cry on, defender, protector.
- It doesn’t matter if someone is different, awkward, unpopular, LGBTQ,
socially unaccepted. - Be consistently compassionate & empathetic to those in need.
- Be better than society.