She Was My Best Friend, Now My Sister is Dead

What happens when the person trained to save lives loses someone they couldn’t save?

In this episode of the Rollercoaster Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Marlon Rollins for one of the most powerful conversations we’ve ever had about suicide, grief, trauma, mental health, and healing. Dr. Rollins spent years working as a crisis director and mental health professional helping people through suicidal crises, until the unthinkable happened. His sister, Amber, took her own life, leaving behind a 13-year-old daughter who was the first person to find her.

This conversation explores the devastating reality of suicide loss, survivor’s guilt, depression, addiction, firearms, trauma, parenting, social media, and why so many people suffer in silence. We also discuss suicide prevention, warning signs, purpose, connection, and the urgent mental health crisis impacting children, teens, veterans, nurses, and families around the world.

If this episode moved you, please share it with someone who may need it.

Key Moments:

0:00 The Call That Changed Everything

6:02 The Coroner Called Me Next

12:48 The Suicide Prevention Grant

18:40 His 13-Year-Old Niece Found Her

23:35 “Losing My Sister Was a Gift”

30:31 Learning to Heal Himself

36:11 The Suicide Myth We Believe

42:42 She Heard the Gunshot

49:19 Did His Sister Plan Her Suicide?

56:32 Suicide in Kids Is Exploding

1:00:54 Why Community Saves Kids

1:07:24 Find a Bigger Why

1:14:13 Do People Regret Suicide?

1:20:17 Why Suicide Keeps Increasing

1:24:39 Mental Health Is Finally Changing

Connect with Me: 

IG: @tyler.hall (https://www.instagram.com/tyler.hall/)

Connect with Dr. Marlon Rollins:

IG: @drmarlonrollins (https://www.instagram.com/drmarlonrollins/)