Again, thanks for coming to Iowa. I'm glad that me and my girlfriend came to see you guys because my girlfriend has never really opened up to anyone about this except a few of her friends but for her to open up to you guys and for you guys to comfort her proves that we're not alone. I just wanted to say thanks.

P.S. - I'm that guy that told you guys about SMASH and I wore the "The prettiest girls in the world live in des moines" shirt.

1 | Left by Tony | Jan. 17, 2009 at 7:00pm

I was there today in Altoona, and I was absolutely blown away. What you guys stand and are fighting for, really struck a cord with me and my friends. We've had to deal with self injury and thoughts of suicide lots of times, recently increasing in the last year or so.
We thought that nobody was aware of how extremely often it happened, us being from a very small town, and we had begun to believe that nobody was going to address it and try to help us.
The things that you guys said today, and the stories that were told really inspired me and my friends and gave us more hope than we could have asked for. I just wanted to thank you, your organization, and everyone involved in it for doing what we thought nobody could do for us, for caring.
I hope that your mission to reach out to others continues and that you can keep giving people the kind of hope you gave me.
I have complete faith in you.

2 | Left by Madison Clark | Jan. 17, 2009 at 7:11pm

Madison Clark- I am so glad you found this group helpful. I am sorry for your pain and that of your friends. Know that at least here you are loved!!I hope all the best things in Life come ya'lls way!!
With Love Brittany

3 | Left by Brittany | Jan. 17, 2009 at 10:23pm

OOhh. I'm telling Josh!!!
Just kidding.
I think that's awesome for you Jamie.
I love Between The Trees. I wish i could be there. Thanks =)

4 | Left by Taryn | Jan. 18, 2009 at 10:45am

I know that you were mainly here to help the students and families affected by the recent suicides in the community. But I attended not only to support the community but to gain information for my own family. My adult sister who is married and has 4 kids has attempted sucide and been hospitalized 5 times, maybe going on 6 tonight, in the last 2 years. I gained some valuable information from your visit. I thought it was especially helpful that you opened up the discussion by asking the audience a question...the open lines of communication are what most likly needed to happen most. Thanks for listening. The struggle for me now, is how do you support/help someone, when their spouse isn't supportive of the treatment necessary... I just watch my sister headed yet again to the hospital or maybe worse if he doesn't act sooner and it appears there is nothing I can do about it?

5 | Left by Steph | Jan. 18, 2009 at 8:49pm

This is why I love coming to your site just to chill. Im going through alot of stress and was thinking about cutting til I brought myself to go check out whats been going on here. The passion that you have for wanting to help so many people and tell stories that bring hope for tomorrow keep me going. I wish you could come to Chicago, theres a lot of violence and suicides lately =/. Love really is the movement
With love,
Katie

6 | Left by Katie | Jan. 18, 2009 at 9:34pm

I was at the anberlin concert an i heard jamie talk. i have a friend who is suicidal an i have a couple friends who used to cut. it means a lot to me being so close to it that i can help them etc. Thanks.

7 | Left by Jord | Jan. 19, 2009 at 12:11am

I Went to the Anberlin concert tonight, or well since it's about 2:20 am i guess last night, but anyways it was amazing. I was looking forward to seeing Jamie speak live instead of just youtube and I got to it was exciting and very moving. Im glad you guys pay attention to small cities like us :). Thank's for visiting I hope you come back to Iowa soon.

8 | Left by Dani | Jan. 19, 2009 at 12:21am

I am so excited to work with you guys. I've been following your tours, and duties for quite some time now, and each time I read, watch, or listen, I get a little more excited....

9 | Left by rachel hanford | Jan. 19, 2009 at 7:02am

I was at the show last night and I loved everything you said and I almost started crying. Tonight has been a really tough night for me but I came to this site and thought about what you said and it really helped me. thank you again and I hope you can come to Iowa again.

10 | Left by Kendra Plathe | Jan. 20, 2009 at 2:12am

DUDE! You guys reallllly need to come to OH or PA, because I need you guys to come back! hah.

11 | Left by Elizabeth | Jan. 21, 2009 at 5:53am

Hey I am from Des Moines &I just wanted to thank you guys for coming here and caring so much about us two of my friends kill them selves. I was also wondering wat high schools u r going to be speaking at I really hope u guys come to Roosevelt high shcool in Des Moines and speak.

Thank you guys so much I love you and this oganisation
Brian Jones

12 | Left by Brian Jones | Jan. 24, 2009 at 5:06pm

Hi I'm Hannah. I'm from Ankeny which isn't far from Altoona at all. I'm sad to say I missed this event. Are you coming back anytime soon? I have felt I've been surround by death for the past several months. The deaths at SE Polk I'm sure you have heard of. Two students from Ankeny drowned Labor Day weekend out at the lake. One of the girls I grew up with at Ankeny, her brother took his own life before thanksgiving. Elizabeth, one of my soccer friends when we were little, I'm sure you've heard her story. Well then her accident happened. It's been tough around here. And I also just found out that one of my guy friend's buddy took his life this last weekend. I have just felt really down since this fall. Any suggestions? And with all that has happened I want to become a teen pyschatrist that helps teens on this type of stuff in life.

13 | Left by Hannah Davies | Jan. 28, 2009 at 2:49pm

iowa is my favorite place in the world.

14 | Left by Riley | Feb. 15, 2009 at 1:46pm

If I had known you guys were coming to Iowa
I would have gone to the show!
..I should stay more involved.

I'm at school right now
and I'm just reading through the pages,
it has been awhile.

Before,
that being 2 years ago
when I first discovered you guys
I was in the process of healing
and to stop cutting, and to stop
taking pills. And to get better,
real change.
Reflecting upon that,
It has been 10 months since I have cut
myself, it has been a year since I've claimed
my edge.


A month ago was the first time that I had
ever prayed, and I sit at school now,
tears in my eyes for how you speak of God,
and of hope. A smile on my face.

15 | Left by Brit Lang. | Feb. 20, 2009 at 6:26am

I hope you guys come to Clinton High.
In Clinton Iowa, 52732.

My best friend has been a cutter
and we have fought that battle together,
she is still fighting.
She takes pills and has stopped coming
to school. Her brother went missing over
a year ago, and since then things have really
spiraled down. As far as cliques go in school
I'm not really in one- but my friends and I
are considered to be strange and kind of like
outsiders. On a personal level
we are all struggling with depression and cutting.
Even now, though a few of us have managed to stop,
we're doing it on our own. Our community doesnt have
group things as a means of help, and sometimes it seems
like they just dont care.

I know the feeling of being alone,
and feeling like no one if going to help
or wants to. I think a lot of students feel
that way. It is painful to watch someone with so
much potential give up on themselves.

16 | Left by Brit Lang. | Feb. 20, 2009 at 6:32am

I think that its a great idea to go to concernets and spread love and hope. TWLOHA is amazing and i can't wait for u guys to come to charlotte for Warped Tour and i really hope ill see u guys... I've been dealing with a lot of the same struggles people on this blog too. i hope that you'll find hope and find that there is a light at the end of a tunnel...
love is the movement *

17 | Left by Nicole S. | Jun. 1, 2009 at 11:09am