‘Depression is real,’ Gab Valenciano, the son of Mr. Pure Energy Gary Valenciano, said as he revealed that he went through extreme depression for a number of times and led to two suicide attempts.
Gab revealed that he almost jumped off from his condominium’s 22nd floor and had hurt himself due to depression.
“World Suicide Prevention Day isn’t just a day where we celebrate victories of those who have survived, instead, it is an awareness day where we magnify the importance and significance of how to deal with this growing epidemic,” Gab said in a long Instagram post on September 11.
Citing data that 1 person kills himself every 40 seconds, Gab said that he had attempts to take his own life.
“I would have been part of that statistic, twice, if not for the grace of God and love for my family and friends,” Gab said.
He shared photos of him even the ones in the hospital where he was even labeled as ‘fall risk’.
“Hanging from the twenty second floor of a condominium, deliberately hurting myself and substance abuse could have been the end of my story, but I believe that my failed attempts had a greater calling, and that calling is to reach out and help as many people as I can who are struggling with mental health issues, through empathy and compassion,” Gab said.
Gab said that those who are undergoing depression should seek help and there will always be people willing to listen and help.
“Please everyone, there are people willing to listen and help. It doesn’t need to end this way,” he said.
