WSU teaming up with Hilinski's Hope Foundation
24/7 Sports
PULLMAN -- The icy relationship between Washington State University and Tyler Hilinski’s family took a turn toward the sunnier side last week when WSU signed on as a partner in the second annual College Football Mental Health Week sponsored by the Hilinski’s Hope Foundation.
More than 50 schools across the nation have joined the effort, which runs from Oct. 2-9, to help break the stigma around mental health and raise resource awareness.
The Foundation was started by Tyler’s parents, Kym and Mark, shortly after the former Cougar quarterback’s death by suicide in January 2018, but relations with Washington State were strained. WSU was not part of last season's mental health week by the HHF.
“After we started Hilinski’s Hope, we just had a series of poor interactions with WSU,” said Mark Hilinski, who is delighted that WSU is going to be part of the CFB Mental Health Week. “It’d be great to potentially have an ongoing relationship with WSU.
“All we (Hilinski’s Hope Foundation) ever wanted to do was offer WSU resources through Hilinski’s Hope for kids like Tyler who struggle with mental health,” Hilinski said.
The de-stigmatization of mental health for athletes has always been the focus for the Hilinski Hope Foundation and with WSU, they feel the reach and impact has only become greater.
Taino Ferdinand, a high jumper on the WSU track and field team, says “mental health has been a long-neglected aspect of college sports and now that people are addressing the issue is a huge step forward ...”
Ferdinand said that being a WSU athlete and seeing this new partnership with the Hilinski’s is a perfect example for other colleges to follow suit and help us grow as communities.
Mark Hilinski added, “We want people to know that this foundation is here to help everyone, and with the new addition of WSU, I’d imagine it can only be positive and give hope for the future.
“I think nearly everyone in the WSU community respected and loved Tyler, so I’d only imagine they’d love what we’re trying to do with their school.”
Hilinski said that he and Kym are “100 percent Cougs” and look forward to honoring Tyler through WSU and helping break the stigma around mental health.
