Virginia

Virginia mom encouraging discussions about mental health after son’s suicide

Published

6 months ago

July 3, 2025

Virginia mom encouraging discussions about mental health after son’s suicide

It’s been almost three years since an Alexandria mother was plunged into sudden grief after learning her 21-year-old had taken his life by suicide. His death came just hours after he’d texted his mom that he was doing awesome.

Now, Betsy Stephenson has written a book about her family’s journey with grief and what she calls “life after suicide.”

She does not hold back when she talks about son Charlie’s death by suicide on July 10, 2022.

“To me, that was one of the objectives of the book. I’m going to lay it all out,” she said.

Charlie was found by a roommate in the home they shared in Fort Worth, Texas, where Charlie attended Texas Christian University. His older sisters rushed home to Alexandria, where the family gathered after the heartbreaking news.

“The first decision we made: Are we going to be forthcoming about cause of death?” Stephenson said. “It was a quick and unanimous decision, and yet I don’t think at the time we realized how momentous it was for all of us.”

In her book, “Blackbird,” and during author talks, Stephenson explains how that decision to share the cause of Charlie’s death shaped their grief journey in crucial ways. They also shared that he’d suffered from depression.

“First of all, it relieved us of the burden of the secrecy that often comes with suicide,” Stephenson said. “We also realized over time it helped our community support us … because they didn’t have to dance around it either.”

Her unvarnished reflections started with a Facebook post, and readers responded.

“People were messaging and saying, ‘Yeah, you know, I lost someone to suicide, too, but we don’t talk about it’,” Stephenson said.

Writing her book became a way to untangle her questions and emotions: How could her seemingly happy child die this way?

Stephenson points to a text exchange just hours before his death, in which she wrote: “Good night bub. Hope you’re doing great. Love you.”

Charlie responded: “I’m doing awesome. Love you good night.”

“Yes, it’s terrifying to think you can text your son on a Saturday night who says ‘I’m doing great, love you,’ and then the next morning he’s dead. It’s terrifying,” Stephenson said. “I don’t want to scare people, but to me, that is the perfect example of why depression and anxiety are so sneaky and powerful.”

In addition to exposing the dangers depression presents, Stephenson also wanted to explore how to confront and live with immense grief.

I really looked at grief and considered it a job. I’m going to undertake this … This is a part of who I am. It will be with me forever. How am I going to live with it? How am I going to put myself back together?
Betsy Stephenson

Her greatest hope in detailing her experience is that it will encourage conversation about mental illness, suicide and grief, and possibly save another family from the loss her family suffered.

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Virginia

No. 21 Virginia routs American 95-51 as De Ridder sets career best with 27 points – WTOP News

Published

4 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

No. 21 Virginia routs American 95-51 as De Ridder sets career best with 27 points – WTOP News

Thijs De Ridder scored a career-high 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds as No. 21 Virginia rolled to a 95-51 victory over American University on Monday night.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Thijs De Ridder scored a career-high 27 points and grabbed eight rebounds as No. 21 Virginia rolled to a 95-51 victory over American University on Monday night.

Malik Thomas, Sam Lewis and Elijah Gertrude each added 11 points as the Cavaliers (11-1) headed into their holiday break on a six-game winning streak.

Julen Iturbe had 13 points to pace the Eagles (7-6), held to 32% shooting from the field and six free throws.

Virginia made 62% from the floor and outrebounded American 45-23.

Already up 45-25 at halftime, the Cavaliers opened the second half by outscoring American 20-8 in the first eight minutes.

Virginia’s big spark off the bench, Jacari White, sat out with an injured left wrist. White fractured the wrist in Saturday’s win over Maryland, apparently when he fell to the court after throwing down a highlight-reel dunk.

White averages 10.9 points per game. He wore a cast on his left hand and lower wrist Monday.

Former UVA women’s basketball All-American and current South Carolina coach Dawn Staley attended the game.

American freshman Madden Collins is the son of Ari Moore, who played for Staley at Temple.

Virginia honored Staley with a video montage during a timeout in the first half, then showed her seated along the sideline across from the American bench.

Up next

American: The Eagles are off until Dec. 31, when they host Loyola Maryland in their Patriot League opener.

Virginia: The Cavaliers begin ACC play at rival Virginia Tech on Dec. 31.

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Virginia

Spanberger names longtime National Guard leader as next veterans secretary

Published

16 hours ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

Spanberger names longtime National Guard leader as next veterans secretary

Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger on Monday announced she has selected retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Timothy Williams to serve as Virginia’s next secretary of veterans and defense affairs, tapping a longtime military leader who spent nearly four decades in uniform and led the Virginia National Guard through some of its most demanding recent missions.Williams, who retired in 2023 after 38 years in the armed forces, served for nine years as Virginia’s adjutant general under three governors. In that role, he oversaw the Virginia Department of Military Affairs, which provides leadership and administrative support to the Virginia Army National Guard, Virginia Air National Guard and Virginia Defense Force.

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Virginia

Virginia Union’s Curtis Allen makes HBCU history winning Harlan Hill trophy: ‘Kind of crazy’

Published

1 day ago

December 22, 2025

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Virginia Union’s Curtis Allen makes HBCU history winning Harlan Hill trophy: ‘Kind of crazy’

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia Union running back Curtis Allen made history by becoming the first player from a Historically Black College or University to win the Harlan Hill Trophy as Division II college football’s player of the year.

Allen, in his only season as the Panthers’ starting running back, rewrote the program’s record books and captured the 39th annual award after a dominant campaign.

The senior finished 82 votes ahead of the second-place finisher and broke a 10-year streak of quarterbacks winning the honor, which is Division II’s equivalent to the Heisman Trophy.

Allen set a new Division II single-season rushing record with 2,409 yards in just 12 games, along with a nation-leading 30 rushing touchdowns. He also broke the CIAA single-season rushing mark.

“It really sounds crazy because, you know, I really thought Jada (Byers) won last year, but I thought he was a finalist, but I thought he won,” Allen said. “So for me to actually win it, that’s actually kind of crazy. Because I feel like Jada could have possibly been a better running back than me. I just took what he did and did a little bit, you know better than him.”

Allen also recently won the 2025 Willie Laneir Award for his outstanding performance on the field.

Virginia Union’s Curtis Allen takes home Lanier Award

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