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Hey peeps... something beautiful is coming. An absolute miracle. 25 years ago, #dnd saved my life by a matter of hours... my family went through bankruptcy, lost our house, had to move... new school... no friends... I had decided one day around 15 yrs old that I was too much 1/?
Of a burden on my family who was struggling severely. I was fighting severe depression. I felt absolutely alone... there us a level of despair you feel when you feel you have no one... I remember eating my lunch alone, like many days before it. I was the new kid with parents 2/?
Who were obviously financially struggling... I remember the stares. I remember not fitting in anywhere with anyone... that last day... I decided I was going to go home and after school, take my father's gun and end my life. It was a weird since relief knowing my depression 3/?
Wasn't going to affect anyone else. I knew my family would be upset but in time, not having to financially be burdened by me... not be emotionally burdened by me... that they would be better for it. I had convinved myself of this. It was fact in my mind. I got up from the 4/?
Lunch table and walked out into the courtyard. I wanted to feel the sun on my face. I smiled for the first time in a long time. Letting go had freed me. Then I heard a couple boys calling out and I thought for sure I was about to be mocked for being the new kid again... 5/?
But it wasn't that at all... 4 boys walked up to me and asked why I was always alone at lunch. Hesitantly I explained... and they said well, you are always welcome at our table man! They invited me to hang out after school. The thoughts of squeezing that trigger drifted away. 6/?
I raced home that day and grabbed my bike and rode to the address they gave me, a couple miles away. They were all there smiling, inviting me in. One boy's mother offered me a sandwich and some koolaid. The generosity caught me off guard. Next thing I knew I was being led 7/?
Down into the basement... I admit I was feeling super sketchy bbut as we got down there it was quite homey. Sofas, a tv, a table and 5 chairs. Books lined shelves and VERY small what I thought action figures were laying about... they all sat down and waved me over. 8/?
I sat down cautiously and the boy who's house it was went to a shelf and brought out a box. Have you ever heard of Dungeons and Dragons he exclaimed... Now... all I knew was what I heard in the eighties, devil worship, kids dying etc. He immediately calmed me and said, 8/?
Nah man... it's just a game... and ya know what?! YOU get to be the hero! And he pointed directly at me. Like we said, all are welcome at our table, and at our table we play DnD! I didn't know what to say... this was the first time all school year someone had been genuinely 9/?
Nice to me... I was speechless... the next few hours were a whirlwind as I created my very first character Ragnor a barbarian. He took me through my first encounter and I got made the blow that won the battle... high fives ensued and in that moment the darkness faded away... 10/?
I raced home on my bike for dinner as I had lost track of time and all I could do was talk about my new friends and our awesome game! How Ragnor saved they day. I think I vaguely remember my mom wiping away a tear as she hadn't seen me happy in so long... 11/?
The point is... that day, DnD and it's community, literally saved my life. Don't get me wrong, I struggle every single day... depression aflicts you for your entire life. Last year I had something upend my life and I was a mess... I downed a bottle of painkillers and liquor 12/?
I made it through the night but was still struggling and my friends and players within the community reached out... I got the help I needex to get through that dark patch bc they acted. They helped. Not my work, not people at the gym, my DnD family. DnD saved my life again. 13/?
Everyone struggles. Everyone hurts. Watch for what is coming from this amazing charity Jasper's Game Day... a miracle is going to happen. Join me in saving lives. I've got a 25yr old debt to repay and by the gods I will... WE have to... lives depend on it... join us <3
This is why #ALLAREWELCOME means so much to me. They said those exact words to me that day when I needed them most. One small gesture is all it takes. Reach out, say hello, listen, and if you are up for it, join us on this grand adventure known as Jasper's Game Day. We need YOU
Oddly one post vanished... I sat down and they pulled out a box asking if I had ever played dungeons and Dragons... all I knew was what I heard in the 80s about devil worship and kids missing etc...
