The Breeze To overcome son’s suicide, Hilinski parents to prevent another on JMU trip

By GRANT JOHNSON The Breeze

Editor’s Note: This story contains references to suicide that may be triggering for some readers. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health in any way, please check out these resources from the American Psychological Association, linked on The Breeze’s website.

When Kym Hilinski found out JMU softball player Lauren Bernett died by suicide last April, it hit her in a different type of way.

Like after any student-athlete’s death, Kym said, she felt a wave of sadness. But also, no matter how unfair it may have been, regret.

Kym and her husband, Mark Hilinski, were slated to talk to JMU student-athletes in 2020 to share the story of their son, Tyler Hilinski, a former Washington State quarterback who died by suicide in 2018.

The pandemic caused their talk to be rescheduled. Kym couldn’t help but think: What if?

“I just wish we could have been there,” Kym said. “Maybe Lauren could have heard our talk and it might have made a difference.”

The Hilinskis’ rescheduled Tyler Talk, as they call it, occurred Tuesday night inside the Atlantic Union Bank Center in front of a roughly 300-person audience, mostly JMU studentathletes, almost exactly nine months since Bernett’s death.

The JMU Tyler Talk was around their 150th since 2019, Mark said. They’ve stopped counting exactly. But Kym and Mark push forward to save other Tylers. And Laurens. And any student-athlete who may be struggling with their mental health before it’s too late.