Former Detroit Lions quarterback, suicide loss survivor, and mental health advocate, Eric Hipple shares his story of personal loss, struggle, and recovery.

NFL quarterback Eric Hipple has an incredible story of tragedy and triumph. After his 15-year-old son died of suicide, Eric fell into a debilitating downward spiral. Following an attempted suicide, and jailed for drunk driving, he found the strength to seek therapy for his own depression and was able to make an amazing comeback. With unflinching honesty, Eric shares his journey for others to realize that depression is a treatable disease.

The one-time member of the Detroit Lions lost a son to suicide in 2000 and as part of his own healing and recovery, Hipple came to realize he’s battled depression since he was a teenager in Texas. Looking back, he believes that there may be some predisposition to mental illness in his family. Growing up he was what he describes as a “sensitive kid,” but it wasn’t something that overly impeded him. Until 1997 when the former Detroit Lions quarterback, on his way to the airport with his wife driving, handed her a note, opened the car door and jumped out.

At the hospital neither he nor his wife mentioned that the accident was a suicide attempt. Hipple recovered and went back to his life, burying the episode. He tried to drown the pain with alcohol and eventually spent a couple of months in jail for his actions.

But within a matter of years, there was another hurdle, one that took things even further. In 2000, Hipple’s then 15-year-old son committed suicide.

HOW DO I FIX THIS?
Healing from his son’s death, it was support from many sources that helped Eric, but ultimately it was his wife who was there for him. Then, a chance invitation to a lunch and learn at the University of Michigan Depression Center changed his life. He now has taken a tragedy and turned it into triumph.

From that moment, Hipple embarked on a journey to educate himself in mental illness and suicide prevention in order to be able to devote himself to helping others navigate through their struggles and try to save lives. “Helping others is what makes my son’s death and my life meaningful”, says Eric. “I talk about things that might be going wrong whether it’s brain illness, stress, trauma or injury.”

He points out the warning signs of suicide, the very ones he missed in his own son Jeff and breaks down barriers to good mental health through public speaking.

“The idea,” Hipple said, “is to knock down the wall and say you’re not alone and someone else has gone through this in a different way and has stories themselves and by sharing those you get a chance to talk about yourself.”

In 2009, he published a book, “Real Men Do Cry,” in which he chronicles his own journey and offers resources for people and families dealing with personal challenges of mental illness.

Hipple is now in a much more centered place in his life and continues to move forward with the mission to help those who have experienced similar struggles to his own.

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