Teen Embraces Second Chance

Emma Benoit appeared to have a picture-perfect life. She was smart, a cheerleader at Dutchtown High School, model and had many friends.

That is the first glimpse of Benoit people saw when watching the documentary “My Ascension,” which was shown at St. John the Evangelist Church in Prairieville on Oct. 11. But the reality of what Benoit was experiencing inside quickly comes into focus as viewers next see an aerial video of her family’s home in Ascension Civil Parish and hear the recording of the chilling 911 call her frantic mother, Chelsey, made after discovering that her daughter had attempted to commit suicide by shooting herself in the chest. 

Benoit’s social and academic pressures, along with wondering of “Why am I here?” left her feeling depressed and anxious, as if she were dying inside. Benoit had never told her parents about her internal pain that caused her to attempt suicide in June 2017, before her senior year in high school. 

Her attempt resulted in a spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed.

Benoit woke up in the hospital after major surgery wondering why she was in so much pain and why she was in the hospital and why so many people were gathered around her. As her memories of the events eventually emerged, her mission became helping save others from taking their own lives.

“I realized I was not alone,” said Benoit, who spoke at the screening. “I realized there are other youth out there who were experiencing the same thing I had.

“I was blessed to have a second chance at life,” Benoit said. “I came to terms with what it meant and to not keep it to myself (and to help others) and to not keep it to myself (and to help others).

“It came to me after I survived that there must be something greater.”

A few months after her suicide attempt, Benoit blogged about her experiences and recovery journey on her website liferejuvenated.org.

“It was unexpected that people would connect with my story,” said Benoit.

In early 2018, Benoit began working on “My Ascension,” a documentary that chronicles her recovery journey and advocacy work, while addressing the youth suicide epidemic. 

Benoit has spoken to thousands of people in person and virtually.

After the screening Benoit, her father Yancy and film director Greg Dicharry were joined by a panel of educators, clergy, mental health specialists and friends of those in the Diocese of Baton Rouge who have lost friends to suicide or had thoughts of suicide. There was an outpouring of questions and concerns from audience members who packed the parish hall looking to address a community issue. Highlighting the fact was a table filled with photographs of local young, bright smiling faces who took their lives.

Sherrard Crespo LMSW, a clinical coach for Via Link which provides crisis and suicide intervention, said suicide is like any other disease, such as diabetes or heart issues.

“It’s huge to really understand that suicide doesn’t just begin and end with these ‘moment’ of crisis as embedded with these tragic events. That the story is still much bigger than that,” Crespo said. “Everyday people are living here coping.  They’re struggling with pain alone because we judged suicide.

“(But it’s) just the way that some people’s  brains work the way that some people’s lives are, and this conversation needs to be not only talking about suicide but becoming comfortable with listening to it, reaching out to that person, asking if you’re okay. And then having the courage to listen and to really hear not to have someone have to justify why they feel a certain way or for us to just quickly try and fix it with words.”

Dr. Molly Stadalis, principal of Lutcher High School, spoke about the impact of suicide on fellow students, parents and community members. Karyn Poche, was a sophomore at Lutcher and took her life in November, 2018. Poche was on the volleyball team and made others smile. 

Stadalis recalled how Poche could “light up the office when she entered in.”

“Her aunt is one of my secretaries, so she was in the office every day. We knew she was in the halls,” Stadalis said. “We knew when she was in class, whether she was happy or not. We just knew. She was that kind of kid that everybody could love. She was my daughter’s friend.”

But hope rose after Poche’s death with the introduction of Hope Squad, which aims to reduce youth suicide through education, training and peer intervention. 

Alex Foret, who has served on Lutcher High School’s Hope Squad and is on the National Council, was Poche’s friend. Hope Squad was introduced by Benoit in 2019.

“Our whole squad is powered by caring because it’s because of her that we have it. Something so tragic happened, but something so wonderful came out of it, and so it’s because of her that we are able to help others,” said Foret. 

More information about Hope Squad can be found at hopesquad.com.

Father Mathew Dunn, parochial vicar at St. John, spoke about what it was like losing a fellow classmate, fellow priest and best friend. He has presided at funeral Masses for people from their teens to their 80s and  “loved them where they were” even though he didn’t know them personally. 

But that changed on the evening of August 30 when he learned of the suicide of Father Danny Roussel.  

“It was a whole new ball game. I talked to him the day before. Right before (Hurricane Ida) hit. The storm cleared and Father Danny’s storm did not. There was numbness,” said Father Dunn, who gave the homily at Father Roussel’s funeral.

He said this shows that no one, not even priests “who are supposed to have it all together,” are exempt from the depression, anxiety and pressures that lead to suicide. He said this underscores the fact that while prayer is critical, people cannot “pray their way” out of mental illness. There needs to be ongoing resources, support and prayers from others to accompany that.

Yancy Benoit spoke about how he “dropped to his knees in prayer” and was surrounded by community in prayer as Emma passed though the trauma following her attempt “one miracle at a time.” Both have continued to be vital for his family as Emma continues her journey.

“God and faith are everything,” said Yancey.

For more about Benoit’s story, visit myascension.us/emma-speaks.