Rick Rypien and his affect on my life.

A year ago today, a hockey player, an average joe, a person who battled through took his own life because of depression.

A hockey player who made it, about to start for a New/old franchise with familiar faces and must promise of enjoying a comfortable spot in the line-up. He had worked for it, but wasn't a happy person throughout his career. He ended it one night by hanging himself in his house in a rural town.

I learned that day to never live in silence with depression and always tell someone you love if you feel down one day or the other. He committed suicide and opened up debates about how different people can and should deal with depression.

Rick Rypien battled through family troubles, alcoholism and depression through his entire career. A very quiet and reserved individual. Minded his P's and Q's and did what he had to do to make a living. He had to fight to make it in the nhl and to stay in the nhl. Maybe he felt that isn't what he wanted to do, maybe it took its toll.

Whatever the case he had showed me a light, showed me a way to relieve some of the anxiety and forget being depressed. He bottled it up, it ate him up and he had nowhere to turn. He isolated himself because he didn't know how to deal with it. I don't want to bottle up my negative feelings anymore

I started writing blogs, threads, and posts on some websites. Found it to be a wonderful release. It helped me get through much of my troubles. I owe a lot to a man I have never met. He inspired me to be successful in my own way, not how society would dictate you to be successful.

You never know when it is your last day.

RIP Rick Rypien.

Regards,

Devon