Family of WSU QB raises suicide awareness in Seattle
KING5 CBS
Saturday would have been WSU quarterback Tyler Hilinski's 22nd birthday. His mom and brother are traveling across Washington, thanking people who supported them after they lost Tyler and raising awareness about suicide prevention.
For Kym and Kelly Hilinski, Ozzie's in Seattle is one of the many stops on a road trip to raise awareness. The mother and son traveled from California to Washington to mark what would have been Tyler Hilinski's 22nd birthday.
"We've heard the first year is the hardest. You go through the holidays without them. You go through birthdays, you go through everything for the first time without them," said Kelly, Tyler's oldest brother.
"His name is not going to be forgotten and what happened to Tyler is not going to be in vain," said Kym Hilinski.
Washington State University is where Tyler Hilinski was the well-known and well-liked quarterback. It is also where his life came to an end on January 16.
"If he couldn't tell us something was bothering him, then he absolutely had to be suffering in silence," said Kym.
Tyler's suicide is something Kym is talking about. Thursday she sat at a back table inside Ozzie's with owner, Kathy Mahoney.
"He was a great boy. My son knew him. So it is just Coug family. You do what you do for Cougs. You do what you do for family," said Mahoney.
