Letters for Emily: Big Sister Rallies Support for Suicidal Bolingbrook Girl

A little girl from Bolingbrook has been deemed suicidal. And her big sister is reaching out in a bid to show her how much she is loved and how life’s every moment is precious.

Danielle Armknecht has organized a Facebook campaign called “Letters for Emily” and is encouraging folks from all walks of life to share their thoughts and their words of hope and support with her sister. She has been encouraged by the early results.

And by the reaction of her little sister.

Emily is 12 years old. And she is undergoing long-term treatment at a facility in Kankakee. Danielle said Emily had battled depression for some time. And, then, her case took a turn for the worse.

“Emily was recently discovered to be extremely suicidal,” Danielle Armknecht said. “It is VERY serious and instead of panicking we decided to reach into the community for help.

“She is currently under a long treatment inpatient program in Kankakee, but we need to spread the word about suicide and that you are never too young to be contemplating it and you should know your support reaches so much further than you would ever know.”

Mom Says Suicidal Bolingbrook Girl Brightened Up When Letters Began Arriving

Danielle asks friends, neighbors—anyone willing to help from anywhere on the planet—to write Emily at her home address: Emily B., 632 Rockhurst Road, Bolingbrook, Ill., 60440. And she reached out to me, too.

“If you could somehow write an article helping us spread awareness and reach out into the community to encourage writing letters of hope to Emily, we would be forever in your debt,” she said. “Awareness is key and gathering a little support in the form of a letter would be fantastic!”

How fantastic? Consider this:

“Emily is good; today is her birthday,” Danielle wrote in a recent Facebook post. “I just got off the phone with her. She told me, ‘I finally feel like there’s a little hope and I feel really happy today.’

“It made me smile,” Danielle said. “Then, she said was was supposed to receive a cupcake from her peers (at the facility where she is receiving long-term care in Kankakee). My mom went to visit her and brought a picture of the goodies that have come in the mail so far.

“When I told Emily last night on her five-minute call about all the support and letters and how they were from all over the world, she cried and cried and told me, ‘Thank you.’ She said she is looking so forward to coming home and reading everything.”