Jana Marie Vicere of State College was a beautiful, intelligent, and talented woman who loved art, poetry, creating collages, drawings, jewelry, pottery, and music. But like many, Jana Marie also struggled with her mental health.
“Jana suffered from depression throughout her lifetime, but she always had a generous heart and an unwavering commitment to helping people,” her sister Marisa Vicere said.
Unfortunately, Jana lost her battle with depression in 2011. In a moment of despair, she committed suicide at the young age of 30.
The tragedy of her death led her sister, Marisa, to establish the Jana Marie Foundation in 2012. The foundation is dedicated to helping others who struggle with mental health, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts, particularly young people.
Marisa Vicere visited Tyrone Area High School on Tuesday, February 11th, to tell her sister’s story and speak with the students about suicide prevention and the importance of mental health care.
According to Vicere, more than 40,000 Americans die by suicide every year, and for every death by suicide, another 25 attempts are made.
“I have poured my heart and soul into helping other people overcome their losses, which in turn helped me overcome my own,” Vicere said.
According to their website, the goal of the foundation is to “harness the power of creative expression and allow young people to create safe spaces for themselves and others to share and overcome their struggles, promote the prevention of suicide, and provide help to those who need it.”
Tyrone sophomore Makayla Howard appreciated Vicere’s message that no one is alone and to always reach out to others, whether it is you or a friend, who is struggling.
“It’s always a better option to tell someone the things you are going through than hold it in and suffer with it,” Howard said.
At the assembly, Vicere stressed that mental health is not an issue to be downplayed or ignored and that her heart goes out to everyone who has lost a loved one to suicide.
Vicere told students that if they know a friend who is going through the loss of someone they love or is considering suicide themselves, to reach out to them and contact others who can help.
“Find out what their reservations are. Figure out their barriers to get them connected to people they trust,” Vicere said.
In addition to discussing suicide prevention, she also spoke to the students about how to deal with the loss of a loved one to suicide.
The way to overcome the loss of a loved one, Vicere said, is to listen to what your own needs are because everyone grieves differently and listen to what other people have to say about your situation.
For anyone who is struggling or knows someone who is, the Jana Marie Foundation website offers a lot of free resources for anyone to learn more about the signs of suicide.
Click here to access these resources.
The Foundation also sponsors programs for elementary, middle, and high school students.
Tyrone High School guidance counselor Jessica Koeck hopes that Vicere’s message got through to the students who need to hear it the most.
“My hope is that students were able to walk away from the presentation with more tools and strategies for managing their emotions, making healthy connections and building resilience, as these are all essential for positive mental health,” Koeck said.
