I was blessed twice by God when he gave me the two greatest gifts I could ever dream of. My daughter, Anna Katharine, was born March 6, 1997 and my son, Jeffrey Alexander was born Oct. 7, 1998. My children have been the most important people in my life since before they were born.

Anna was a calm, quiet child that had the wisdom of a much older soul while Alex was spirited, strong willed and very kind. When Alex was a baby, he was very different than Anna. Anna was easily soothed while Alex took much more patience. He would get angry over small things and hold onto that anger for years.

As Alex grew into a teenager, the anger issues became more intense. We tried disciplining him but finally realized this was not a disciplinarian problem. It was a mental health issue. You cannot discipline a child with mental health issues like you discipline most adolescents.

After years of struggling, therapy, loving conversations and support from family and friends, Alex decided to end his life. He took his father's gun, came home and took his life on Dec. 19, 2015. He was 17 years old.

Our lives have been forever changed without that charming, loving, hysterical boy here to share our lives with. We will never recover from that split second decision Alex made that day.

Our family’s mission is to talk about mental illness, bring awareness and help those both struggling with the aftermath of suicide and those contemplating it. Through our non-profit, Alex's Army, we hope to encourage people struggling with mental health issues and offer them and their families hope. Suicide is not the answer. Lets #talkaboutit and make a difference. Visit Alex's Army on Facebook for more information.

See more: Know the Facts About Suicide Prevention