Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
Date: 4/25/2023
BELCHERTOWN — On April 11, families packed the Belchertown High School to hear Sullivans’ Message event hosted by Belchertown Overcoming Adversity Together.
Starting in 2008, Kathi Sullivan began to talk about the dangers of alcohol and substance use along with mental health, awareness and the importance of making good choices after her 17-year-old daughter Taylor passed away from underage drinking.
Chris Sullivan talked about his struggles with mental health, anxiety and depression during his NFL career that led to substance abuse with painkillers and other drugs.
Both Kathi and Chris Sullivan created Sullivan’s Message to provide powerful messages from their personal life experiences in hopes of raising awareness of alcohol and substance use along with prioritizing mental health.
They travel to different communities to try and educate parents and students with skills to keep themselves or their children safe.
The Sullivans added that their presentations are “taught from the heart.”
Kathi Sullivan shared her presentation called “Taylor’s Message” and Chris Sullivan shared his called “Not in the Playbook.”
Kathi Sullivan shared the story that her daughter Taylor “pre-gamed” at two house parties before attending a homecoming game. Taylor ended the night with over 20 of her friends drinking in the woods at an abandoned airport.
Taylor was found a day later drowned in two feet of water after she walked away from her group of friends over a drunk argument. None of her friends went after her.
Kathi Sullivan started Taylor’s Message only two months later in hopes of letting her daughter’s death have purpose of educating kids and parents about the dangers of alcohol.
Kathi Sullivan mentioned that when she is asked to come speak to a group, the crowd mostly contains parents but acknowledged she was happy to see there was a group of students present in the Belchertown High School auditorium.
She said, “Always remember, your life has meaning and you mean the world to someone. Make good choices.”
Kathi Sullivan met Chris Sullivan at her first night presenting to parents.
Chris Sullivan is a former football player who was drafted by the New England Patriots in 1997. He played six years for the Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers including a Super Bowl win with the Patriots.
His struggles and addiction led to end of his professional football career.
“I was using around $1,000 worth of heroin a day. I knew something had to change,” Chris added.
Chris Sullivan attended Kathi’s event as someone suffering from substance use and the two eventually got married in 2011.
Chris Sullivan has been sober since 2008 and began to share his struggles with others to teach life skills that will help them make good choices when it comes to alcohol, drugs, anxiety, depression and mental health.
Chris Sullivan added that you should not suffer in silence and make your mental health a priority.
For more information on Sullivan’s Message, visit www.sullivansmessage.com.