Mariel Hemingway will share her story of mental health survival at Naples event

There’s no acting for actress Mariel Hemingway when she opens up about her own struggle with mental illness and her family legacy described as the “Hemingway curse.”

The Oscar-nominated actress is the keynote speaker Dec. 1 at NAMI Collier’s Hope Shines luncheon.

Hemingway, 61, is the granddaughter of Pulitzer and Nobel Prize-winning novelist Ernest ‘Papa’ Hemingway who was found dead July 2, 1961, of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head in his Ketchum, Idaho home.

The family has experienced seven suicides along with rampant alcoholism, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and depression.

Event to benefit local agency that helps youth

Proceeds support Health Under Guided Systems, known as HUGS, a signature program of NAMI Collier to screen, access and help local children aged two months to 18 years old.

HUGS serves more than 400 local families with children experiencing developmental, social, emotional or behavioral difficulties.

The event also will help support the Sarah Ann Life Skills & Support Center which provides structured activities for program participants and occupational training.

The United States is facing an unprecedented mental health crisis, particularly among young people.

Data shows one in six youth aged six to 17 experience a mental illness each year, according to national data from NAMI. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people aged 10 to 14.

The statistics are equally grim for adults: One in five, or nearly 58 million American adults, experience a mental illness each year, the National Institutes of Mental Health reports.

When it comes to access to care and mental health spending, Florida ranks near bottom at 49th among the 50 states for having the worst access to care despite its population growth, according to Mental Health America.

The Hemingway legacy

Mariel Hemingway, who overcame depression, has written six books, which include “Out Came the Sun: Overcoming the Legacy of Mental Illness, Addiction and Suicide in my Family.”

Another is “Invisible Girl” written for young adults about the same subject yet from the perspective of a 14-year-old.

Hemingway’s documentary “Running From Crazy” followed her as she tried to better understand her family history of suicide and mental illness.

She’s been outspoken about the stigmas associated the brain disorders and early treatment.

“If you can figure out what someone is suffering from earlier on, it would help so many families,” she said in a 2015 interview with People magazine. “Then you can figure out the right medication and a healthy lifestyle and hopefully save a life.”

Hemingway is best known for various film and TV roles, including the 1979 Woody Allen film "Manhattan" that earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

What NAMI leaders say

Beth Hatch, chief executive officer of NAMI in Collier, said Hemingway is an advocate.

“She speaks about mental illness around the country and encourages others to discuss mental wellness in their own families,” Hatch said.

“The luncheon is also an opportunity to celebrate NAMI’s mission, new location, program and team expansions and the growing number of ways that NAMI is serving the community daily,” Hatch said.

The Hope Shines luncheon is in its 15^th year hosted by NAMI Collier. The event begins at 11:30 on Friday, Dec. 1, in the ballroom at Arthrex One, 1 Arthrex Way, Naples.

Individual tickets are $325 and are available NAMIcollier.org or by calling 239-260-7300.

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: Mariel Hemingway speaking in Naples Dec. 1: What to know