Don’t Let Chris Cornell’s Demons Drag You Down

I published this note on my personal page. I am presenting it to you here in an abridged and edited form.

Sadly, Chris Cornell's death has been ruled a suicide. It's never too early to start to come to grips with something like this.

Often the people who "have it all" are the ones that are the saddest. They tend to find out that "having it all" is not what it's cracked up to be. This can lead to serious depression and possibly worse. Sadly, they also leave a trail of depression in their wake. I am hoping you will not let Mr. Cornell's death drag you down.

The reason I'm writing this is it's easy to look at a celebrity and say, 'if he was so unhappy, what chance do I have?' The answer is, you have every chance in the world. Being happy is a choice. Being alive is a choice. Hope for a better day is a choice.

I had a brain that beat me up on a regular basis. I got help and now I no longer need help. Reach out to someone if you're feeling down or letting outside factors or substances run your life. There is a corner, and you can turn it.

Be strong and love each other. And if you or anyone you know is depressed and having suicidal thoughts, you should call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: 1-800-273-8255.

I'd like to leave you with something awesome for your time. The picture below was taken by my business partner at the Backroom in Austin. It has never been published. It is an awesome shot of a young Chris Cornell doing what he did best. This is how you should remember him.