Cassius Winston's message to his brother
Fuck, man.
https://twitter.com/JRoseWXYZ/status/1193778372792508417?s=20
November 11th, 2019 at 1:40 PM ^
November 11th, 2019 at 1:58 PM ^
Thanks for the embed. That David DeJulius is a commenter at the top of the screen capture shows that life goes beyond basketball and school rivalries.
Let's have fun and hate on our rivals, but remember that it's all a game and that, at the end of the day, lives and relationships matter.
November 11th, 2019 at 2:19 PM ^
I LOVE YOU, MAN!!!
November 11th, 2019 at 1:19 PM ^
An incredibly emotional post. But with all that emotion very loving, supportive and understanding of his brother in a time when it would be easy to be hurt and upset.
Cassius really seems like a great person on and off the court. All the support in the world to him and his family right now.
November 11th, 2019 at 1:22 PM ^
Kid really showed himself and his great heart last year when talking about the rape victims at MSU. Clearly more mature than his head coach. Awful situation for him and his family.
Mental illness is not a joke. Go see help.
November 11th, 2019 at 1:23 PM ^
Read it a few minutes ago. Lost some hydration through my eyes. Hard not to root for him this year.
November 11th, 2019 at 1:46 PM ^
Battle is NEVER over for those people who are still with us... they have to make conscious decisions each and every time they wake up in the morning, to fight those demons they have.
Agreed, no mater what team they play for, their roots, or disposition... it's important to help them; hopefully our society will start to change it's perception of mental illness, the rest of us can help in amazing ways, just by lending an ear. Sometimes all they need is human interaction, and someone to listen.
November 11th, 2019 at 4:31 PM ^
I hope he finds peace and is blessed with a bountiful life, just not in any way that benefits that disgusting program.
November 11th, 2019 at 1:24 PM ^
CubStrong
November 11th, 2019 at 1:29 PM ^
BEAVER STRONG
November 11th, 2019 at 1:55 PM ^
Not to distract from the thread, but I've seen this a couple of times re: Winston's brother. What is CubStrong a reference to?
November 11th, 2019 at 2:02 PM ^
He went to UofD Jesuit HS, who are the Cubs.
November 11th, 2019 at 2:25 PM ^
I'm an older Cub who hasn't seen the invocation of CubStrong before but I approve of its message and wish the Winstons nothing but peace, love and strength during this time.
November 11th, 2019 at 4:31 PM ^
Not trying to be clever but i really don't know what else to say about it here with all the Sparty hate.
But i know my experience at UofD helped me through my father passing when i was about Cassius' age.
This is a completely different level here though.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:54 PM ^
What class? '95 here.
November 11th, 2019 at 10:23 PM ^
'86
We struggled but it is rewarding to see it still keeping on.
Men for Others can be a strange concept but it's when you see it in action that it really hits home.
He shared his pain ....for others.
And hope he shall revel in his triumphs for others!
November 11th, 2019 at 1:27 PM ^
Gosh I hate MSU. But if they won the title this year I would be really happy for Winston.
November 11th, 2019 at 2:48 PM ^
Was literally just sharing this same sentiment with my friends. Cassius was always that one player I struggled to root against, and now even more so.
November 11th, 2019 at 1:29 PM ^
Powerful. What an incredible tribute in an awful moment.
Other people say it a lot, but I'll chime in as well: if you're struggling mentally or emotionally, reach out. Even if you think it's silly or not a big deal. If it's causing you extra stress or worry, it's worth talking to a professional. It's not weak to get a checkup for a cough, and it's not weak to see someone that can help you process your thoughts.
November 11th, 2019 at 1:29 PM ^
Events like this should remind everyone what sport you play, who you play for just doesn’t matter. We are all team human. RIP smoothie.
The importance of Mental illness awareness is understated. The stigma attached to it needs to change
November 11th, 2019 at 1:44 PM ^
Couldn't agree more!
It's the worst illness to have, because it kills you from the inside out, and manifests itself with physical ailments.
November 11th, 2019 at 2:19 PM ^
As someone who has had a front seat watching a young person very close to me deal with debilitating mental health issues, the most frustrating thing is that at times it seems there is very little of real help anyone can do. There is counseling, there is medication, there is increased awareness and acceptance and special accommodations (but still not nearly enough). But ultimately the poor victims of this are really on their own in dealing with it.
They can also become addicted to the meds, some of which have terrible side effects. Sounds like Cassius did all he could to stay close to his brother, and still we have this terrible result. It is terrifying for the victims, and it is terrifying for everyone who loves them because they fear every day that they will get the news that Cassius received.
God bless that entire family. And there, but for the Grace of God, go I.
November 11th, 2019 at 1:31 PM ^
Damn. That got to me. Not as tight with my brother so got me feeling.
November 11th, 2019 at 1:31 PM ^
Fuck, now i'm crying in the office.
RIP
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
November 11th, 2019 at 1:33 PM ^
Wow.
My heart aches after reading this.
November 11th, 2019 at 1:34 PM ^
Cassius Winston wrote a really compelling message to his brother, and the sincerity rings through his message. Sometimes these tributes ring heartfelt but (understandably, given the author is always grieving) wooden.
Not so for Cassius Winston. His tribute comes over as authentic and thorough - pretty amazing given how recently he lost his brother. I hope Cassius Winston and the rest of his family can find peace with this awful situation, and in the meantime I'm even a bit more impressed with Cassius Winston.
And needless to say, everyone out there please TALK about mental illness like depression. That shit needs to be destigmatized, and posts like Winston's help reach that goal.
November 11th, 2019 at 1:36 PM ^
Heartbreaking yet incredibly well said by Winston.
November 11th, 2019 at 1:36 PM ^
As someone who has had depression and knows people close to me with it/mental illnesses that is hard hitting stuff. Just heartbreaking reading that. I personally walked in on someone I know holding a knife to there wrist before and it was something I will never forget.
November 11th, 2019 at 1:38 PM ^
I hadn't read a ton on the "how or why" yesterday, but it was obviously a suicide, or suspected to be so? This is even more tragic than an accident. Cassius is a smart, classy kid and I wish him nothing but the best.
November 11th, 2019 at 1:39 PM ^
Witnesses say he walked into the train's path on his own accord, so short of being high or drunk I can't think of any other explanation besides suicide.
November 11th, 2019 at 1:38 PM ^
I will be cheering for him from now on.
For those who have not had a big unexpected loss, what he said about losing a part of your heart is literally true. I had two family members die within a week of each other, one my brother in similar circumstance before he could legally drink. You literally lose a part of yourself, and over (a long period of) time you fill that part of you with something else - making you a different person.
You cannot be the same because who you are is the sum of the people and things you love. If you lose too much, too fast, it breaks you as a person. You have probably met a person like this. If Cassius is strong, and evidence says he certainly is, he will become a better, stronger person as time goes on.
November 11th, 2019 at 1:46 PM ^
Cassius Winston is a good dude. I wish more Spartans were like him.
November 11th, 2019 at 7:41 PM ^
I don't know. I enjoy hating the Spartans. Players like Cassius make that much more difficult.
November 11th, 2019 at 1:55 PM ^
How terrible. God bless that family.
I recently heard a quote from an executive from our local ginormo-health system here in West Michigan, something to the effect: "if we got serious in this country about mental health we could clear out 80% of our current patient census".
I don't know the answers but I know that we are not doing a good job nationally of taking care of our mentally ill. Homelessness, shootings, the ugly discourse in social media and even in person are symptomatic of how far we're falling behind.
If you have a broken leg you don't feel shame for going to see a doctor. Depression and suicidal thoughts should be no more stigmatized than a broken bone or an acute injury.
Also here in West Michigan, Pine Rest opened a new psychiatric urgent care facility this year that is geared exactly for this sort of thing. Please consider making a call if you're struggling. Please don't think you have to handle it alone. Please don't think that you're weird or worth less if you need help.
https://www.pinerest.org/services/psychiatric-urgent-care-center/
November 11th, 2019 at 2:15 PM ^
The mental healthcare problem in the US is a self-inflicted wound stemming from the 60s. JFK closed down asylums and the money for them was supposed to be funneled towards opening community care clinics that were more humane for the patients. That funding dwindled and was gutted by Reagan (to nobody’s surprise) and now the combination of mental illness and the wealth gap has created a homeless problem that is inconceivable.
It is very correctable but not with America’s “not in my backyard” selfish mentality.
November 11th, 2019 at 3:33 PM ^
It’s much older than that. If you think mental health was treated well before the 1960’s...eep.
November 11th, 2019 at 4:28 PM ^
Did I say it was treated well? Name me a specialty in medicine that did not cause inhumane treatments in its early stages. The structural reform to the field was woefully underfunded and thus forgotten about until now when we’re starting to see the impact. Fields like cardiology and oncology don’t have the stigmatization problem psychiatry does.
November 11th, 2019 at 4:36 PM ^
Mental health needs much more attention but it's good to be in a country that even bothers to acknowledge it. I've met too many people from abroad that don't even recognize it within their culture.
November 11th, 2019 at 4:51 PM ^
Even in the 1970s and somewhat in the 80s it was considered disqualifying for a presidential candidate to ever have seen a psychiatrist. It's relatively new even to our country for it to be openly discussed. Still largely stigmatized esp. among men... but yeah other cultures it's more like the 50s at best. Plenty of places you're considered cursed by God for any kind of mental health issue.
November 11th, 2019 at 2:09 PM ^
Respect. What a solid young man. Prayers for him and his family and all those dealing with their demons
November 11th, 2019 at 2:17 PM ^
Winston is hard to root against. He’s not a freak talent as an athlete, but he’s built himself into an All American. He was a valedictorian if his high school at a pretty good private school. He got offered at Harvard and had the grades to go there. He’s already graduated from college and is in grad school at MSU. Seems like a good kid, and this was hard to read.
And beyond all of that, he’s really fun to watch on a basketball court when he’s not lighting us up. He’s got a higher basketball IQ and better court vision than anyone in the Big Ten in a long time.
November 11th, 2019 at 2:31 PM ^
I couldn’t imagine having to go through this. I was especially moved by the description of his brother having to fight every day and that he doesn’t have to fight anymore. I’ve heard this description before with regards to mental health, but hit me a little harder when reading this.
November 11th, 2019 at 2:42 PM ^
Read through it. Have tears in my eyes. You can just feel his words.
November 11th, 2019 at 2:43 PM ^
My heart ?
My brother took his own life in 2005. To this day any time you see a story like this one, it hits home immediately.
My sympathy could not be stronger for Cassius and his family.
November 11th, 2019 at 2:48 PM ^
That was a powerful message. Wow.
November 11th, 2019 at 3:10 PM ^
Condolences to Cassius Winston, and his family and friends.
November 11th, 2019 at 3:30 PM ^
man, oh man. like a punch in the stomach.
i wish cassius winston all the best. the rest of this crap doesn't matter.
November 11th, 2019 at 3:39 PM ^
I will not be upset if MSU wins a NC because of this. Going to be hard to root against Winston.
November 11th, 2019 at 4:35 PM ^
I admit that I started tearing up reading that - as someone who had a sister (some of you know my quasi-famous sister, but this is her twin I am discussing) who was ultimately unable to overcome her own demons (she used drugs to end her life, and worse, it was my parents who found her), the feeling of losing a sibling or even just a friend like this is.....it has been seven years now and I still have difficulty processing it.