Mother continues to honor late daughter who died by suicide at DC boarding school
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Six years after her daughter’s death, Patricia Denson said the pain still remains.
“It’s been rough ever since,” said Denson. “The time I spent with her, the 12 years, were the best 12 years of my life. She’s now 18, but she’s still 12 where she is.”
Stormiyah Denson-Jackson died by suicide at her D.C. boarding school, the Seed School, on Jan. 23, 2018. She was just 12 years old. Denson said her daughter was bullied there.
“It hurts, trust and believe it hurts. Especially the circumstances of it. It was something that was unbelievable to me. I look at it as a sacrifice. I don’t know,” she said.
Denson said her daughter was an activist who led peace walks and prayer meetings.
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“Stormiyah was a kid that was very outgoing, very passionate. She was a protector. She was an activist,” said her mother. “She did so many things.”
Years after her death, Denson now fills the role of activist, fighting for her daughter and helping others dealing with depression and anxiety to heal.
In 2019, Denson and other advocates launched Easy 1, 2, 3. The program, which stands for “effective action to save our youth” offers healing activities and community conversations. An event is held yearly on the anniversary of Stormiyah’s death.
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As part of the program, Denson came up with an Easy 1, 2, 3, creed to help people take pause, take a breath and find peace amid pain.
“When you feel weary, love yourself dearly. Embrace yourself to hear thee. And you just breathe and count, one, two, three. One, two, three and it actually works,” explained Denson, as she read the creed aloud.
Denson has found other ways to fight for her daughter.
She sued the Seed Foundation for wrongful death in 2019. The case was eventually settled in 2020.
In light of that, she helped push legislation through the DC Council in Stormiyah’s name.
The Stormiyah Denson-Jackson Economic Damages Equity Act of 2022 was passed into law last year. The legislation prevents judges from devaluing a person’s life based on race or gender when awarding a wrongful death case.
The progress makes Denson proud.
“I did not lose her spirit at all, that is diligently planted in my heart,” she said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 50,000 people died by suicide in 2022. More than 7,000 of those people were between the ages of 10 and 24.
“The most important message is, you’re not alone. You’re not the only one who is struggling,” said Kelly Mahoney, special events manager with the National Capital Area Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Mahoney said there are warning signs to look for in your child, including a loss of sleep, reckless behavior, an increased use of drugs or alcohol and isolation from friends and family. If you’re concerned about your child, she said it’s good to be direct and talk to them.
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“Just be open and honest with them. Pull them aside into private and know they might not want to share everything all at once, but they’ll know someone is there and listening,” she said.
She also noted how important it is to create a dialogue and de-stigmatize suicide.
“Suicide is a very stigmatized topic and we want to break that stigma and make sure they know they’re not alone,” she said.
Denson believes by sharing her daughter’s story, she’s opening up that dialogue for others.
“Storm stopped a lot of children from committing suicide,” she said.
She hopes that continues, as she works to find more ways to honor her daughter’s legacy, including a push to rename a street in Stormiyah’s name and the creation of a foundation to help other grieving parents.
“I’m going to grieve for the rest of my life. You never know how long it’s going to take. It will never end for me, until I end. When I end, that’s when my grief will end,” said Denson.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the suicide crisis lifeline at 988.
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