There are many celebrities out there that don’t use their platforms for good. The freedom and bad-side of fame is easy to get mixed up in and it is seen as an inevitable part of the life. However, once in a while, we are fortunate enough to be presented with a celebrity that takes advantage of the voice they have in the world and chooses to use it for good.
People are always saying we should talk more about mental illness. Raising awareness is key to getting a broader understanding. But nothing is ever truly done about it. There is no follow through. However, sometimes there are in fact voices that speak up. And one of these people is Jared Padalecki.
In January 2015, one of Jared’s dearest friends lost his battle with depression. In March 2015, the Always Keep Fighting campaign was born. This campaign was started on the website Represent and all proceeds went to various charities such as To Write Love On Her Arms as well as the Wounded Warrior Project. As his project continued on, more charities were added to those benefiting from funds raised.
In the words of Jared:
I hope that this campaign, while raising money for a wonderful charity, can also raise awareness about issues that affect more people than we know. I hope it inspires people battling depression, addiction, mental illness and suicidal thoughts to be vocal about their struggles. I hope it helps people realize that they shouldn’t be ashamed of what they are going through, and I hope it helps people meet and find new friends that they can relate to. I hope it helps people take pride in the fight that they have been fighting, and gives them a push to never give up or give in. I hope it helps inspire people to keep fighting. No matter how hard it is.
Throughout the campaign, Jared has spoken openly about his own struggles with anxiety and depression, a key factor in making this campaign as large as it continues to be. It’s one thing to create a charity that you believe other people need but it’s another thing entirely to say, “Hey. I’m struggling alongside you. Let’s do this together.” Jared’s willingness in speaking about his struggles as well as encouraging others to support each other has continued to keep so many people going. Countless fans tweet him daily, write to him, and speak to him at conventions showing their support for him as well as opening up about their own personal struggles they may very well have lost their fight to if Jared hadn’t been there to open up the conversation that we all need to continue to have.
In May of 2015, the conversation became louder when Jared announced his mental health had deteriorated and he was in need of a break back home. The support the fan base showed to him was astounding. In fact, when he returned for Comic Con a few weeks later, everybody in the audience held up candles (a symbol for the campaign) to remind him we are not only there for him but also here for each other.
Jared’s campaign has continued to blossom as time has gone on and new launches are happening every few months. As I write this, there are two days left of the current one which says “I am enough” and benefits the victims of the Orlando shooting.
Jared is only one person but the people he has been able to reach is staggering. What he has chosen to do with his one life, his one voice is admirable. He has learned how to open up and he’s never afraid to admit when he feels weak or he is struggling. He’s teaching the world how to break the stigma of mental illness, to view it as something we can conquer together. We all have the power to do something and Jared is simply pushing us along.
People have told Jared that he’s saved their lives, to which he’s replied, “No. You did.” People have asked Jared what he would say to people who struggle with suicidal thoughts, to which he’s replied, “Getting rid of yourself isn’t going to help anybody.” It’s the simple things like that that make me proud to call myself a fan of this man and a supporter of his campaign. He knows what it’s like and it’s beautiful to hear such open and honest statements from him.
As a fan myself, I just wanted to take this moment to thank Jared for everything he has done in the past and continues to do to this day. The impact he has had is insurmountable and I know this is only the beginning. We as a fandom (or, rather, a family) is incredible and it’s something I hope to see continue as time goes on. Jared, thank you for showing your vulnerability and making all of us feel that we can do the same without being seen as weak. I will always keep fighting, I will continue to love myself first, and I will learn how to tell myself I am enough.
There is no magic cure for what so many of us battle with daily inside our minds but Jared has helped us realize we are certainly not alone. There is something so powerful in truly realizing this, especially in our darkest moments. Jared continues to struggle and so do we. But, somehow, it’s all okay. A simple phrase, a few words, a single person, can work wonders.
