Peoria Standard

Some days, Johnny and Anita Boone of Monticello, Illinois, struggle to leave their home. Other days, they work to raise awareness about suicide prevention among young people. Their efforts began after the loss of their son Jamie Boone 28 months ago.

Jamie was the youngest of five boys in a blended family. He faced health and social challenges such as bullying, diabetes, and an accident that resulted in the loss of two fingers. Despite these difficulties, his parents describe him as protective and supportive toward his friends. Johnny Boone recalled, “He had a list on his phone of different friends. Under each friend, it had their favorite movie, what cheers them up. He basically made a mental health safety sheet for each of his friends.”

Anita Boone added that Jamie appeared to be doing well outwardly: “He was going to counseling... He was in the Lifesaver program... very involved.” However, she noted that like many who seem fine externally, he struggled internally with depression.

After graduating from the University of Illinois College of ACES on Mother’s Day 2023 and preparing for further studies and an internship, Jamie died by suicide at age 21. The Boones say they were unaware of how much he was suffering inside.

Brittany Algee, APRN and psychiatric nurse practitioner at OSF HealthCare, said young adults face unique mental health pressures during their transition into adulthood. “It’s the transition phase into adulthood... They have this unrealistic expectation at 18 to have everything together,” Algee explained. She also highlighted factors such as anxiety from social media use and symptoms like lack of motivation or self-isolation that parents should watch for.

Algee recommended that if parents notice concerning changes in behavior—such as withdrawal or academic struggles—they should talk openly with their children about mental health issues and consider seeking help from primary care providers or mental health professionals.

Both Algee and the Boones shared advice for coping with stress: getting outdoors for activities like hiking or biking; being proactive when discussing access to potential means of self-harm; using careful language around mental health topics; and writing down positive moments or affirmations.

Since losing Jamie, Anita has not returned to her accounting job at the University of Illinois while both parents continue counseling. Algee emphasized there is no set timeline for grieving after such a loss: “There are numerous stages of grief... Seeing a mental health professional is going to be very beneficial... It’s not something you can put a timeline on.”

The Boones founded the Jamie Boone Project nonprofit as part of their response to grief. They assemble J.A.M.I.E bags (Just A Mental Inventory Everyday) containing items meant to distract or comfort individuals experiencing distress—such as journals and stress balls—and distribute them in schools and hospitals along with information about crisis resources including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and 741741 Crisis Text Line.

The couple also organizes S.A.G.E words (Student Affirmations of Grace and Encouragement), where students write affirmations for classmates which are then compiled by Johnny Boone for distribution during milestone events like graduation.

“We always hear the negative things about us,” Johnny said generally about social interactions. “We need to be more intentional... You don’t realize how much you mean to people.” He added regarding community support: “I’ve not had anybody not give us positive feedback on all our work... Monticello and the area have embraced us.” Algee called their efforts “absolutely phenomenal.”

OSF HealthCare provides various resources including support groups and SilverCloud—a digital platform available anonymously for those aged 18+ within its service areas—even if they are not current patients (https://www.osfhealthcare.org/). National resources include the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (https://988lifeline.org/), which offers specialized support for veterans; the 741741 Crisis Text Line (https://www.crisistextline.org/); SAMHSA (https://www.samhsa.gov/); as well as additional options listed by The Jamie Boone Project (https://jamiebooneproject.com/resources).

Johnny encouraged others facing similar situations: “Talk to somebody. A professional, a friend... Make a mental health safety sheet... Write down what things calm your spirit...” Anita added: “It’s OK to not be OK. You’re not alone. Don’t be afraid to have the hard conversation because suicide does not discriminate.”