Charles suffered from anxiety but never on stage. He was as comfortable and natural on the stage as any seasoned actor. Charles had the innate gift of timing. You can’t teach that. He always had the audience’s attention. And no one I have ever seen could capture a crowd like he could.
It’s so painful to know the gifts he took with him when he died. He was truly a creative genius that was only getting started. I always told him he had “it.” And what really hurts sometimes is not knowing what he could have become.
But maybe there is something still in store for him in memory. After all, Vincent Van Gogh didn’t become famous until long after he died.
I am an emotionally naked TEDx speaker, and author of the Book, Diary of a Broken Mind and co-author with Kim O'Brien PhD, LICSW of Emotionally Naked: A Teacher's Guide to Preventing Suicide and Recognizing Students at Risk. I raised two boys, Richard and Charles, and lost my younger son, Charles to substance use disorder and suicide on June 5, 2015. I help people foster a culture of connection to prevent suicide, reduce substance misuse and find life after loss. My motivational, training and workshop topics include suicide prevention, addiction, mental illness, coping strategies/resilience, and grief.
As talented and funny as Charles was, letting other people know they matter was his greatest gift. And now the legacy I try and carry forward in my son's memory.
Professional Speaker Website. Trained in ASIST and trainer for the evidence-based 4-hour training for everyone called safeTALK.
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