NOTE FROM TED: Some viewers may find elements of this talk to be distressing. This talk contains a discussion of suicide. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: http://storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/t...

How would you react if you received the heart-wrenching and raw voice mail Kristen Christy received from her son when he attempted suicide? Kristen shares the devastating aftermath of her first husband’s suicide after deployment and the two sides of HOPE – for those in crisis and the ones around them who love them. Kristen Christy, known as America’s Resilience Speaker, was named the 2018 AFI Air Force Spouse of the Year, a 2019 Top 30 Women Military Influencer, a 2020 Remarkable Woman finalist, and a 2021 Force for Change awardee. She is an international speaker and a subject matter expert on suicide prevention and resilience.

Kristen is a co-sponsor of the new 9*8*8 Suicide Prevention Lifeline; creator of National Resilience Day – March 4th & Conquer your disappointments, insecurities, and adversities; a President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy of Suicide (PREVENTS) Ambassador with the Dept. of Veterans Affairs; and an advisor to the Dept. of the Air Force on Resilience.

She continues the search for her missing son. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx