Madison Holleran, 19, was a track star that went to the University of Pennsylvania, but was dealing with a lot of social pressures, which would cause her to take her own life on January 17.
Holleran jumped to her death after going to the top of a parking garage in Philadelphia. She had reported suicidal thought to her parent and her psychiatrist in the past, but her death still shocked her family and community.
Before she jumped off the parking garage she left a suicide note and gifts behind for her family. ‘I don’t know who I am anymore. trying. trying.trying,’ the note began stating, ‘I’m sorry. I love you…sorry again…sorry again…sorry again…How did this happen?’ reads the note, which depicts a girl who feels lost and who feels like there is no other option. The note ended with the words, ‘I love you all…I’m sorry. I love you.’
Her main concerns and what led her to this decision was primarily her grades, but her family does not blame the school for the incident.
‘I don’t think she realized how awful it would be for us to not have her around,’ says Madison’s father, Jim Holleran, in an interview with People Magazine.
Her mother, Stacy Holleran, said that Madison originally brought up these suicidal thoughts last December where she sates, “I was shocked. She’s never been depressed before. I knew she needed a therapist, but I couldn’t get her an appointment because it was the weekend. On Sunday I had a friend come over who works in the mental health field.”
Her father, urge that, “Parents, if you see a huge change in your child and you haven’t discussed suicide with them, open that discussion up.”
Since the incident the parents have been traveling to school and have set up the he Madison Holleran Foundation in their daughters honor. They feel that they should share their daughter’s story, so others can feel comfortable about speaking out before it is too late. They like to talk about the effects of suicide on those the loved ones leave behind, “And if that person would understand what they are doing to their family and their friends and their extended friends, they would not choose suicide if they really understood that they would be gone forever. They would not make that choice, but they are not thinking in their right mind.’ states Mr. Holleran.
During the funeral a man approached Jim and said Jim, if I were to tell you, I’m God and I’m going to give you a daughter for 19 years but I will take her back, will you take this deal?” and he responded by saying, ‘And I said, you just told me about Madison. So I would say yes. She gave me 19 phenomenal years.’
