This “mission” not impossible. In fact, it is succeeding

It began 20 years ago and was born from the absolute worst of circumstances.

Elyssa’s Mission was created after Joanne and Al Meyers’ 16-year-old daughter Elyssa took her own life. She was just a high school sophomore at the time.

Her death was a parent’s worst nightmare, and a shock to her many friends, neighbors, schoolmates, and teachers from Northfield and New Trier High School who all knew Elyssa as a beautiful, active, energetic, popular teenager. 

But sometimes from the worst of happenings can come the brightest of lights.

Joanne and her brother-in-law Ken Meyers, along with help from some dedicated board members and supporters, started Elyssa’s Mission in her daughter’s honor, with the sole purpose of preventing as many similar tragedies as possible from happening to other kids and their families.

The official Elyssa’s Mission statement reads: “To educate and screen teens on warning signs of suicide and to help at-risk youth find vital resources to ultimately help prevent teen suicides.”

From its early baby steps, the program quickly became a labor of love and dedication for Elyssa’s mother, Joanne, who put all her energy and effort into getting the organization off the ground.

And “off the ground” it did go, with much of the growth due to the help and leadership from its longtime director of programming, Jodie Segal. With Joanne and Jodie leading the way, slowly but surely, Elyssa’s Mission gained traction and has become a vital and valuable source for many middle school and high school youths in the area of mental illness awareness and suicide prevention.

The program has grown in scope and significance over the years.  

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Now, 20 years later, Elyssa’s Mission is in over 350 Illinois schools and starting to make inroads in Wisconsin as well—making its impact felt with thousands of teens along the way.

They do it by going into the schools, directly talking to kids while using the nationally acclaimed Signs of Suicide program (SOS), which helps make young teens aware of potential signs of mental illness and the struggles that they, or their peers, may be going through.

They also have “Hope Squads” in some of the schools, which consist of student leaders who become the focal point in promoting the program and reaching out for any at-risk kids in each school.

The program has had tremendous success over the years, consistently being met with positive responses from kids, teachers, social workers, and parents.

On Thursday, July 16, Elyssa’s Mission held its19th annual banquet at Glenview’s Glen Club, with over 200 supporters attending. The theme of the night (printed on the shirts passed out to all guests) was “Voices of Hope.”

Speaking at the banquet were high school students, as well as school representatives, social workers and experts in the field of teen suicide prevention, all of whom spoke, on a very personal basis, about their experiences with the mission and how it has affected them.

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At the evening's end, from individuals pledging donations at tables toa silent auction and company and group sponsorships, over $200,000 was raised.

Today and beyond, the program’s mission continues stronger than ever—and all to honor the memory of Elyssa Meyers.

Elyssa was an amazing young lady whose life ended way too soon. She is described by her mom:

“Elyssa was a bright, beautiful, extremely outgoing girl. What made her happy was a house full of family and friends. She was an avid reader and liked to journal and write poetry. She saw things as either right or wrong. She had a tremendous amount of empathy towards kids who were treated unfairly. She was impulsive and lived life to the fullest. She was a risk-taker, but cared what the result was and how people perceived her. She was very sensitive. She pretended to be tough on the inside, but wasn’t. She was funny and made funny faces to get you to laugh. She tried to help others with their problems. She loved her friends; they were her world.

“When Elyssa was 12 years old, she was sexually assaulted by a teenage boy. Following the assault, Elyssa was hospitalized and diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. I was informed by her team that Elyssa had a predisposition to depression. I was told by her doctors that the sexual assault and the bullying by her peers pushed her over the edge.”

Her memory lives on with the wonderful work of the dedicated staff and supporters of Elyssa’s Mission.

For more information, visit the mission’s website.