Nebraska News Service - Audio Report

A pop-punk band out of Lincoln, Nebraska, Hold Your Breath, is putting on a performance dedicated to increasing suicide awareness. As a group that has personally experienced this, the bandmates describe why they are putting on this benefit show and what they hope comes of it. Angela Palmer-Wackerly, an associate professor of health communication at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, weighs in on how one show can make a difference in spreading suicide awareness.

Photo Credit: Gus Kathol

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[GENTLE PIANO MUSIC - FADE IN BACKGROUND AUDIO (0:01-0:46)]

(Voice Over [0:01-0:31])
DEATH BY SUICIDE HAS HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA OVER THE LAST CENTURY.

ACCORDING TO AN ARTICLE BY THE CENTERS FOR “DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION,” THE NUMBER OF DEATHS BY SUICIDE AMONG THE AGES OF TEN THROUGH 24 HAVE INCREASED BY 52-POINT-2 PERCENT BETWEEN THE YEARS 2-THOUSAND AND 20-21.

“HOLD YOUR BREATH,” A LOCAL POP-PUNK BAND IN LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, HAS NOT ONLY SEEN THE EFFECT THAT SUICIDE HAS HAD ON SOCIETY, BUT HAVE DIRECTLY BEEN AFFECTED BY THE COUNTRY’S TENTH-LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH SAID LEAD SINGER MAURICIO AGUILERA-ORTIZ.

(Mauricio Quote 1 - [0:31-0:34])
“ONE OF THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS OF ‘HOLD YOUR BREATH’ DIED BY SUICIDE.”

(Voice Over [0:35-0:38])
FOR CURRENT BASSIST, HAP CHRISTIANSEN, TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD WAS NOT EASY.

(Hap Quote 1 - [0:38-0:46])
“IT’S HARD TO GO FROM THERE BECAUSE YOU DON’T WANT TO MAKE IT YOUR WHOLE THING, BUT DON’T WANT TO PUSH IT OFF LIKE IT WAS NOTHING. THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE STRUGGLED WITH AT FIRST.”

[INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC - FADE IN BACKGROUND AUDIO (0:47-2:28)]

(Voice Over [0:47-0:56])
AS A BAND THAT HAS SOLD OUT SOME OF THE BIGGEST VENUES IN THE CAPITAL CITY, “HOLD YOUR BREATH” IS PASSIONATE ABOUT USING THEIR PLATFORM TO NOW RAISE AWARENESS FOR SUICIDE WITH A SPECIAL BENEFIT CONCERT.

(Mauricio Quote 2 - [0:56-1:02])
“THIS IS A KIND OF A WAY THAT WE CAN SPREAD AWARENESS FOR IT AND JUST HAVE LIKE A MORE POSITIVE MESSAGE ABOUT IT.”

(Voice Over [1:03-1:08])
DRUMMER ELIJAH NACKE FEELS THAT THE BAND HAS THE RIGHT PLATFORM TO EFFECTIVELY REACH AN AUDIENCE.

(Eli Quote 1 - [1:08-1:18])
“PERFORMING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE, LIVE, DONATING MONEY TO A CAUSE: I THINK THAT’LL BE PROBABLY THE BETTER SITUATION FOR US TO ACTUALLY REACH THE MOST AMOUNT OF PEOPLE.”

(Voice Over, [1:18-1:32])
DOCTOR ANGELA PALMER-WACKERLY IS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF HEALTH COMMUNICATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN, SPECIALIZING IN RURAL HEALTH AND ILLNESS IDENTITY.

SHE NOTES THAT FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS STRUGGLING WITH MENTAL HEALTH, EVERY BIT OF SUPPORT CAN MAKE THE WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.

(Dr. Palmer-Wackerly Quote 1 - [1:32-1:49])
“IT JUST BUILDS THIS SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND THIS SENSE OF ETHACACY. THERE’S HOPE, RIGHT, WHEN YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE ACTUALLY CONNECTING WITH YOU. WHETHER IT’S RAISING AWARENESS, RAISING FUNDS, IT REALLY IS JUST A MULTI-LEVEL INTERVENTION OF EVERYONE COMING TOGETHER…EVEN A ONE-TIME THING CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.”

(Voice Over, [1:49-1:52])
“HOLD YOUR BREATH” HOPES TO GAIN MOMENTUM WITH A SPECIAL CONCERT PLANNED ON MARCH FIRST.

(Hap/Mauricio Quote - [1:53-2:02])
“SO IT’S JUST A FIVE-DOLLAR COVER, WE WILL BE WITH OUR FRIENDS, “THE LARKS.” THE PROCEEDS WILL BE DONATED TO THE AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION. IT’S GOING TO A GOOD PLACE.”

(Voice Over, [2:03-2:07])
WITH THE SHOW BEING LESS THAN A WEEK AWAY, THE BAND HAS ASPIRATIONS FOR INSPIRING CHANGE.

(HYB Quote - [2:08-2:16])
“I THINK THAT JUST GETTING THE WORD OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THEY’RE NOT ALONE IS THE FIRST STEP.

I HOPE PEOPLE WILL BE LIKE KINDER AND MORE THOUGHTFUL TO EACH OTHER.”

(Voice Over, [2:17-2:26])
AS ONE BAND ATTEMPTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, ONLY ONE CAN HOPE THAT OUR NATION CAN COME TOGETHER TO RAISE MORE AWARENESS FOR SUICIDE.

I’M JOSH LILL REPORTING FOR NEBRASKA NEWS SERVICE.