08/24/2026
As someone who works alongside law enforcement, this message hits home. We never truly know what someone is carrying, especially our young people. A kind word, a listening ear, or simply showing up for someone can make all the difference.
As our kids head back to school, let's all commit to being part of the village. Check on your children. Check on their friends. Let them know it's okay to ask for help and that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.
Thank you to the Aurora Police Department for sharing such an important reminder. ❤️
Listen up for just a second.
School is starting back up, and we want to say something directly to our teenagers.
We know adults have a habit of telling you these are supposed to be the “best years of your life.” But sometimes they just aren’t. Sometimes being a teenager sucks. No easy way to say it.
Maybe there’s something going on at home that nobody at school knows about. Maybe you’re being bullied. Maybe your relationship ended and it hurts more than you know how to explain. Maybe you made a mistake (a big one) and you’re terrified of what will happen if somebody finds out.
Maybe everybody thinks you’re doing fine because you’ve gotten really good at pretending you are.
So you bottle it up.
Please don’t. PLEASE. don’t.
This world can be mean and cruel. We feel it too. And we wish every young person understood just how many people are out here desperately hoping you’ll give us the opportunity to help carry some of that weight.
You might think nobody would understand. Try us.
You might think what you did is unforgivable. Tell us anyway. We’ll prove it’s not true.
You might think the situation you’re in can never get better. Give it one more day.
Call a friend. Tell a teacher. Find your coach, your parent, your grandparent, school counselors, your pastor, our school resource officers or SPO, or somebody you trust. Walk into the police department and tell us you need somebody to listen. We’ll get some space and talk.
And if you’re in crisis or thinking it’d be better to leave, call or text 988. You do not have to have the perfect words. You don’t even have to know how to explain it.
Just start with, “I need some help.” We’ll figure out the rest together.
There is a whole lot of life waiting for you beyond whatever is hurting you today. There are people you haven’t met yet who are going to love you. Places you haven’t been. Laughs you haven’t laughed. Christmas mornings, late-night drives, graduations, careers, families, friendships and ordinary Tuesday afternoons that someday you’ll be incredibly thankful you stayed around to see.
Whatever happened, your story does not have to end on its worst page.
We see you. We want to hear what’s going on. We want you here tomorrow. And the next day. And many, many years from now.
Please give us the chance to help. They say it takes village. We have the village in Aurora. We’re here for you.
