‘Suicide Epidemic’ … True or False?

To The Editor:

Paris Jackson, the man outside The Today Show and the recent double suicide of the life coach radio couple…is the U.S. in a suicide epidemic?

99 young people have committed suicide by hanging in the tiny town of Bridgend, Wales over the past five years – documentary film-maker, musician and writer John Michael Williams spent three years researching and filming a documentary in Bridgend on the alarming number of suicides. Could it happen in the U.S.? Current stories and statistics show it can – Suicides now kill more Americans each year than car crashes, according to the CDC. Suicide rates also increased 81 percent for hanging/suffocation.

John was so affected by the desperation and grief in Bridgend that he wrote a song called “I believe in You” as a result of his experiences. The video he shot for the song has over 42 million views on YouTube in just 14 days with no promotion – could this be a result of the desperation stemming from this tiny coal town in the Welsh countryside? John believes it is his duty to get the message out about Bridgend – that there is always hope and always someone who believes in you. He would love to speak about his experiences and share his song on your show.

John wants to get the message out about this film – Suicide is the unspoken health issue that leaves behind emotional turmoil and drastically alters the life path of millions of people every year. It is the second leading cause of death for people aged 24-35; the third leading cause of death for kids 15-24.

Below is the link to his new video he shot while performing the song. It is the 14th most watched video in the world as of today. We also have a trailer to the Bridgend story – the final cut documentary will be ready in about four weeks.

Link to music video: www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK19NWWNGq8

Alex Fitzpatrick

CWR Partners