Amy Bleuel, the founder of the suicide prevention organization Project Semicolon, died by suicide on March 23, 2023, according to GoodTherapy. She was 31 years old. Bleuel started Project Semicolon in 2013 to honor her father, who also died by suicide. The project uses a semicolon to symbolize remaining alive through difficult times. Just as a semicolon denotes a pause in—rather than an end to—a sentence, the semicolon symbolizes moving forward rather than stopping. Many people who embrace the semicolon symbol say they see their lives as unfinished stories.
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The Legacy of Project Semicolon
Project Semicolon quickly caught on as an international symbol of hope. Semicolon tattoos and art became a way to signal triumph in the face of suicidal thoughts and mental health issues. Bleuel experienced mental health issues, including depression, for two decades. According to the Project Semicolon website, she also dealt with bullying, rape, self-harm, and mental health stigma. Project Semicolon actively solicits stories of hope and triumph to encourage people who have faced similar obstacles to persist, seek help, and support one another.
The project was a strong testament to the significant impact a single person with vision and hope can have on others. In 2015, Bleuel told The Mighty in an interview, “In literature, an author uses a semicolon to not end a sentence but to continue on. We see it as you are the author and your life is the sentence. You’re choosing to keep going.” The hope shared by Project Semicolon’s founder is captured by the organization’s reminder, “Your story isn’t over.”
The Challenge of Suicide Prevention
Suicide rates climbed to a 30-year high in 2014, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death nationwide and the leading cause of death among people ages 10-24, according to the University of Washington. While a variety of factors often contribute to suicide, many people who die by suicide meet diagnostic criteria for at least one mental health condition. Men are significantly more likely than women to die by suicide. Middle-aged men experienced a 42% increase in suicide between 1999 and 2014.
Suicide is preventable, and Project Semicolon advises people to notice warning signs and take suicide threats seriously. For help, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The Lifeline also offers a live chat feature here. To support Project Semicolon, get help, or share your story, visit the Project Semicolon website.
The Memory of Amy Bleuel
Amy Bleuel was born on August 3, 1991, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. She graduated from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in December 2014, where she earned a degree in graphic design and a certificate in printing. Her work following graduation was centered on raising awareness of mental illness and suicide prevention. She gave presentations on behalf of the Project to groups throughout the country, according to Psych Central.
Bleuel is survived by her husband, David, her mother, Jeanne, her stepfather, Tom, her brother, Jake, her sister, Abigail, and her grandmother, Mary. She is also remembered by countless people who were inspired by her courage, compassion, and creativity. As she wrote on the Project Semicolon website, “Despite the wounds of a dark past I was able to rise from the ashes, proving that the best is yet to come. When my life was filled with the pain of rejection, bullying, suicide, self-injury, addiction, abuse and even rape, I kept on fighting. I didn’t have a lot of people in my corner, but the ones I did have kept me going. In my 20 years of personally struggling with mental health I experienced many stigmas associated with it. Through the pain came inspiration and a deeper love for others. God wants us to love one another despite the label we wear. I do pray my story inspires others. Please remember there is hope for a better tomorrow.”
