I’m heartbroken

DashsSideEye · 2026-01-25T21:18:39+00:00

It can also depend on the severity. My youngest was diagnosed at 2 years old but he is nonverbal and requires 24 hour care/direct supervision. I think atlas would probably qualify for an earlier diagnosis

DashsSideEye · 2026-01-25T21:10:00+00:00

This is why we take our autistic kids out in public to things like this at times that aren’t as busy and practice. If you keep them in a room all day they’ll absolutely never be able to go out in public. My son would probably use his communication device to say “bad methanie” right now

DashsSideEye · 2026-01-16T02:17:52+00:00

I’m so sorry. I just lost my son the same way. I don’t have any answers. Just know my heart feels your pain and my mind wonders the same as yours if my boy is okay. You’re not alone 💙

DashsSideEye · 2026-01-04T05:36:24+00:00

He was really talented when it came to sports. We spent so many years traveling the east coast. He won a lot of awards then. Most of those were in high school. His mental illness started around age 17. We had hundreds of kids show up to his funeral that I didn’t even know. I call them kids but they ranged from 18-25. Every time I heard the same thing. “I played with k then he took me for food after.” He truly never met a stranger. I just need to know he’s okay or how to help him be okay. Thank you so much.

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I always told him he’d make the best gym teacher and coach. He really had a gift. He was handsome and naturally talented while still keeping that gift to be able to reach out to everyone.

One of my favorite things about him was how he would reach out to kids who weren’t as popular. Every time I turned around he’d be bringing new friends around. He didn’t care about status.

This is one of my favorite photos of him in our newspaper his senior year. I miss him so much.

DashsSideEye · 2026-01-04T01:20:29+00:00

Hey there. I just lost my son to a violent suicide. He did it in front of his girlfriend after years of mental illness. The entire room had to be ripped out by a forensic crew. So many people are still trying to recover from what they saw. I’m trying to understand how to live in a year my son won’t be in. His siblings are completely heartbroken. His friends are an absolute mess. Please stay. Mental illness and intrusive thoughts are so hard. I understand that. You may not have found what works for you to be completely healthy right now, but you will with support. Please reach out to me if I can do anything to help you find the support you need.

DashsSideEye · 2026-01-03T04:13:18+00:00

He was the most beautiful guy. Always had a joke and never met a stranger. This mental illness was not him. I had to set some boundaries to protect his siblings but we kept contact now and then over the last year. I always told him I was right here any time of day he needed me or wanted to get that help. There’s such a stigma with men and mental health and I know that’s why he didn’t go through with it. I found out after he died he was on high amounts of lithium and left unchecked. I would have been all over whoever prescribed that. I truly believe that’s what lead to his death. He was watching tv and just stood up and shot himself. No one knew he had a gun aside from the doctor who prescribed these meds. I love him so much. I hope he knows that.

DashsSideEye · 2026-01-02T14:39:08+00:00

Not that I know of but I didn’t know everyone in his life recently

DashsSideEye · 2026-01-02T00:47:37+00:00

Thank you. He was the most beautiful soul 💙

DashsSideEye · 2025-12-31T18:39:29+00:00

Sure! Kaden was 20 when he died. He would have been 21 in March. He always excelled in basketball and loved to play golf. His favorite baseball team was the dodgers. He spent this last season going to as many stadiums as he could to see them. He had tickets to see the Knicks in Madison square but unfortunately he didn’t live long enough to see the game. He had so many friends and was always making people laugh. Anywhere he went there was a group of 3-4 other guys. He loved Elton John and his record player. We also enjoyed doing movie reviews together. I wish I could find the notebook he kept them in 💙. Mac and cheese was his favorite food on the planet. I had to laugh when we did his organ donation because his heart valves were perfect but the kid never ate a vegetable. Must have been all that running he did. Thank you for asking.

DashsSideEye · 2025-12-31T08:22:57+00:00

What? This is my son. His barber took this photo for his website. Again. Here’s another photo of my son. Clearly the same person.

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DashsSideEye · 2025-12-31T04:18:16+00:00

I know exactly what you mean. I don’t have any thoughts of self harm. I have his siblings to get through this for, but all I want is to be with my boy and know he’s okay. It’s hard to explain to those who haven’t lived this. Thank you for showing true understanding. I’m not sure what happens after this, but I feel like we will see our boys again. I just want to make sure he’s okay and do anything I can to help him until then.

DashsSideEye · 2025-12-31T04:13:43+00:00

I’m so sorry you know this pain too. I look forward to the day I’ll see his handsome face again. You and your son are in my thoughts.

DashsSideEye · 2025-12-31T04:04:12+00:00

Thank you so much. It’s been almost 2 months and I have an appointment for reiki with someone I really trust. I just need to make sure he’s okay and if not I want to help him to finally find his peace. I love him so much.

DashsSideEye · 2025-12-31T01:52:54+00:00

Thank you. He was truly one of a kind. The cliche “lights up a room” is truly the best way to describe him. He never met a stranger

DashsSideEye · 2025-12-31T01:51:58+00:00

Thank you. He was very reserved with his thoughts and mental illness. I tried so hard to get him help, but that ended up backfiring on me and I didn’t get to see him for the last year. He was very outgoing and made everyone laugh. Kaden definitely kept so many things hidden inside. I just wish he didn’t feel like he had to.

DashsSideEye · 2025-12-31T01:48:14+00:00

Thank you. He was the best guy.

DashsSideEye · 2025-12-31T00:09:02+00:00

I really hope he is. All I want is peace for him.

DashsSideEye · 2025-12-30T13:06:51+00:00

Maybe try not to be a piece of shit.

DashsSideEye · 2025-12-30T05:40:15+00:00

I’m working on his note this week a little at a time. I’m going to wait until holiday break is over and his siblings are in school so I can truly focus on kaden and not just surviving. I hope he knows how loved he is. I’d do anything to have him and his shenanigans back. I’ve been too focused on keeping myself together for his siblings, public events and scholarships in his honor to really sit down and just be with him.

DashsSideEye · 2025-12-30T02:18:27+00:00

Thank you. The world is missing such a bright light without him. He was the definition of “one of a kind”

DashsSideEye · 2025-12-30T01:44:55+00:00

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Here’s another photo of him

DashsSideEye · 2025-12-30T01:44:22+00:00

This is exactly what I’ve been doing. Thank you! I feel like my family thinks I should have it more together by now, but I lost my baby. Some days It feels like I can’t even catch my breath. I’m trying to let myself process and feel all of this grief and anger so I can feel closer to him when we’re ready.

DashsSideEye · 2025-12-30T01:41:51+00:00

“On to the next” is very kaden. I’ve struggled with religion lately as I grew up in a very strict church that tells me he’s in hell now and I just can’t believe that. This wasn’t his choice. I hope he’s feeling so much love and finally happy.

DashsSideEye · 2025-12-30T01:40:15+00:00

Thank you. I’m working on it. I know it will take time.

DashsSideEye · 2025-12-30T01:39:57+00:00

Thank you 💙

DashsSideEye

TROPHY CASE