Wearing Purple to Stand Up to Depression, Bullying, Suicide

P.S. I Love You Day 1-2: Youth to Youth Club members at Ossining High School staffed a table on Feb. 11 and encouraged students to write positive messages on a kindness banner.

On P.S. I Love You Day at Ossining High School Feb. 11, many students and staff members wore purple to stand up to bullying, fight depression and help prevent suicide.

A Long Island teen and her high school’s class club founded P.S. I Love You Day after her father, Brian DiPalma, died by suicide in 2010. His last three words to his daughter Brooke were “I love you.”

OHS math teacher Francesca Davide, a friend of Brooke’s sister, Jaime, from college, has brought the event to OHS for many years. The theme for this year’s P.S. I Love You Day was One Step at a Time.

The Youth 2 Youth Club created a Kindness Banner this year that students were encouraged to write kind thoughts on. Club members handed out goodie bags with candy, positive messages and mental health hotline numbers. Clinicians were also at the table to promote mental health and suicide awareness conversations.

“The day is important to me because it focuses on spreading kindness and raising awareness for mental health in such a positive manner,” Davide said.

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