September is Suicide Awareness Month — a time to stop, listen, and remember what our hearts already know: every life matters.
Too often people wear brave faces while carrying private pain. A quick smile can hide heavy days, and someone who looks “fine” might be quietly hurting. That’s why The Bubblery Pittsburgh has always been about more than skincare. We hand out little reminders — cards, flowers, a kind word — because sometimes the smallest gesture is the bridge someone needs to keep going.
I started this movement because of Sam. She wasn’t my blood niece, but we loved like family. Sam was beautiful, smart, and full of light — and also painfully unsure of her worth. I’ve lived that ache myself: the voice that whispers you’re not enough, the pull to hide rather than reach. Sam’s struggle and her loss changed me. It pushed me to go harder at lifting up young girls and women, to make sure they hear, often and clearly, that they matter.
If you’re reading this and feeling swallowed by the weight of everything, please hear me: your story is not finished. Your life is worth fighting for, and you are not alone. Reach out to someone you trust — a friend, family member, pastor, or counselor. If you are in the United States, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by call or text. If you’re outside the U.S., please contact your local emergency services or a regional crisis line right away.
Kindness matters. It changes days, softens edges, and sometimes saves lives. This month, let’s make a deliberate effort to remind one another: a quick note, a printed kindness card, a phone call — these small acts echo further than we can see.
You are loved. You are seen. You are needed. If you need help, ask for it. And if you can, pass kindness forward — for Sam, for me, and for anyone who needs that gentle reminder today.
This is the link to a story written by Sam's mom. It is free to read. Please share it with your loved ones.
Resources:
Call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline