Hamilton teen shares story of suicidal thoughts while playing

MASON, Ohio — Zavyer LaGrandier paces around the living room with a gun.

Within seconds, he screams. He throws a chair. He's still holding the gun.

“Goodbye Rachel,” he said. “I'll miss you.”

The Hamilton teen is practicing for a play. In the next scene, he shoots himself.

It's a play about suicide, produced by high school students from across the region and designed to start honest conversations.

“I’ve probably killed myself over 20 times,” LaGrandier said, referring to the play.

But her decision to audition is no laughing matter.

“I had a bottle of my medicine and I just thought I didn’t want to take it anymore,” he said. “I just thought I’d get this over with. And over and over again, these thoughts ran through my head.

LaGrandier even taught himself how to tie a noose. Then his grandmother took him to see this play. And the following year, he auditioned.

He said it saved his life.

The play “Dead Serious About Life” is part of a nonprofit Mishpachah, a word meaning “family” in Hebrew, led by Terri Hopton.

“Every four seconds, a teenager attempts suicide,” Hopton said. “And no one wants to talk about suicide.”

Each year, students from across the region audition for the play. Then they present their production in schools across the state.

Hopton has been directing this play for decades. And at the end of each show, they invite the audience to chat with the students about the play.

“He It was like a trauma center,” she said of one show. “Hundreds of kids poured into the aisle. »

Suicide is now the second leading cause of death among Ohio teens. A problem that has only gotten worse since Hopton first wrote the play.

Grace O'Dell wears hearing aids and said she has been bullied for most of her life. When the 17-year-old first joined the production, she wanted to stay in the background. She wore her hair down to hide her hearing aids.

Today, she is one of the stars of the series. And she wants to be the voice of others.

For LaGrandier, when asked what he wanted people to take away from his story, he didn't hesitate.

“I’m still alive,” LaGrandier said. “And living is not the same as OK. But I'm still alive.

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You can see the play “Dead Serious About Life” on the following dates:

• Saturday, June 8 at 6 p.m. at Southern State Community College in Hillsboro, Ohio
• Sunday, June 9 at 3 p.m. at Southern State Community College in Hillsboro, Ohio
• Friday, June 14 at 7 p.m. at Garfield Middle School in Hamilton, Ohio

If you or someone you love needs help, you can speak to someone today by calling Suicide and Crisis Lifelife on 988.