In preparing to move recently, I came across numerous items that belonged to Stephen which I had saved after he passed. One of those items was a journal containing several poems he wrote.

At the time that Steve took his life, we had all wished that there had been a note, some explanation for his action and his desperation. These poems are the note we never got.

They illuminate his fight for inner peace and constant struggle with addiction and self-worth. They demonstrate an ongoing and never-ending battle that must have been exhausting. And they show us, that while a person may appear on the outside to be a happy soul, a demon may lurk below.

I have put these poems on my website for all to read. While i struggled with sharing his inner thoughts in such an open way, I decided to publish his writing online with the hope that it will somehow help another recognize the struggles some face or help an individual know they are not alone.

• Over 33,000 people in the United States die by suicide every year.
• In 2006 (latest available data), there were 33,300 reported suicide deaths.
• Suicide is fourth leading cause of death for adults between the ages of 18 and 65 years in the United States, with 27,321 suicides.
• Currently, suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States.
• A person dies by suicide about every 16 minutes in the United States. An attempt is estimated to be made once every minute.
• Ninety percent of all people who die by suicide have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the time of their death.