26 / 36
26 • GCU MAGAZ I NE
On
line
V
anessa Johnson suffered in silence.
A social worker who made many
house calls and a mother of five
stuck in an abusive relationship,
Johnson had her own conflicts she faced at
home alone. She grew desperate to escape the
affliction of her life and attempted suicide
more than 20 years ago, but through the grace
of God she lived to share her experience.
“Here I was, a social worker, and yet
I couldn’t grasp my own situation in my
home,” she said. “I could see everyone, I
could laugh and talk, but at night I saw my
own demons. I wanted to just sleep all of my
pain away.”
Three years ago, Johnson felt called to
start Blue Moon 211 Inc., a Tampa, Fla.,
nonprofit focused on suicide prevention and
awareness. The origin of the name: Blue is
for sadness, Moon is for God’s creations,
which we all are, and 211 is synonymous
with the nationwide helpline.
The idea came to her after reading an article
about a Seattle hip hop artist who had written a
series of social media messages before shooting
himself. But there was one caption that touched
Johnson: “God, please forgive me.”
“I remember when I was in my time of distress
and I said those same words,” Johnson said. “Then
I looked to the skies to try to feel my inner spirit.”
Chance of a lifeline
Florida student works to save others after God saved her
B Y J E A N N E T T E C R U Z