A Tree on the Hill *Trigger warning* (Teen Suicide attempt)

A good friend of My Kiddo hung himself last night. He made a phone call before he did it and some of his friends found him hanging from a tree on the hill where they would go hiking. They say he was up there somewhere between 5 and 20 minutes before the kids found him and cut him down. He's in the hospital and still hasn't regained consciousness.

As a parent and of a teenager who has shown signs of depression, this terrifies me. As the parent who found out because she told my husband when he got home from work rather than talking to me all day I'm double stung right now.

She's torn up over wanting to be there with him. And she blames me and my choice to move us out here with The Mr. last year for her not being back  "home" with her friends.

The Mr. took her out for dinner and I'm working right now. I'm glad it's slow, but I could use a little distraction myself.

I don't want to write about her friend in the past tense... but being that we've been gone for almost a year all of my memories of him start with 'he was...' He was the kid that came with us to Renaissance Festival and assured me that if any older guys tried hitting on My Kiddo that he'd step up and tell them she was underage. He came in a full-on High Lander garb with face paint and a sword he couldn't bring into the gates. He was on the color guard team with her- one of only 2 boys. He was one of the kids that was always welcome in our home and always respectful without being schmarmy and over-doing the Eddie Haskall routine. I don't think he's 18 yet.

I had just a brief moment with My Kiddo where she let me hold her and cry. She doesn't let me 'mommy' her often and I had to all but force her to let me embrace her. She just kept saying that she couldn't imagine him not being here anymore.

Logan, please stay with us.