Warning: Today's episode will discuss very sensitive topics, including death by suicide.

In this powerful episode of the Academy Insider podcast, we tackle a crucial yet often overlooked topic: mental health and suicide awareness within the Naval Academy community.

Our guest, Tonia Lott, courageously shares her personal journey following the loss of her son, Julian, a Naval Academy graduate and submarine officer, to suicide.

Tonia discusses her mission to "heal out loud" and her book, "My Beautiful Black Son Died by Suicide." Her journey offers valuable lessons for parents, friends, and loved ones of Naval Academy midshipmen and service members.

We highlight the extensive mental health resources available at the Naval Academy, including:

- Battalion chaplains
- Midshipman Development Center
- Emergency services

This episode serves as a crucial reminder to check in on the mental well-being of our loved ones, especially those in high-pressure environments like the Naval Academy.

Tonia hopes that by sharing her story it will bring awareness to the importance of asking direct questions about mental health and understanding that success doesn't preclude struggles

Join us for this important conversation as we work to create a more supportive and aware community for our midshipmen and service members.

The mission of Academy Insider is to guide, serve, and support Midshipmen, future Midshipmen, and their families.

Grant Vermeer your host is the person who started it all. He is the founder of Academy Insider and the host of The Academy Insider podcast. He was a recruited athlete which brought him to Annapolis where he was a four year member of the varsity basketball team. He was a cyber operations major and commissioned into the Cryptologic Warfare Community. He was stationed at Fort Meade and supported the Subsurface Direct Support mission.

He separated from the Navy in 2023 and now owns The Vermeer Group, a residential real estate company that specializes in serving the United States Naval Academy community with nationwide consulting and connection.

We are here to be your guide through the USNA experience.

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If you are interested in sponsoring the podcast, have an idea, question or topic you would like to see covered, reach out: podcast@academyinsider.com.