Colorado family who lost son, brother to suicide, premieres film about suicide prevention, awareness

September is Suicide Prevention Month, and a Colorado family that lost their 15-year-old son and brother to suicide in 2019 continues to advocate for suicide prevention and awareness. This time, it's through a film premiering in Denver on Saturday evening. 

Jack Padilla was a freshman at Cherry Creek High School when he attempted suicide in 2019. He died nine days later. Since then, the Padilla family has kept Jack's name and memory alive by sharing his story.

"We made a very conscious decision after Jack died, after we were working through our grief, that part of our healing process was a decision to go public. Suicide prevention and mental health is a conversation we all must have with one another," said Rick Padilla, Jack's father.

Since Jack's passing, his family, including his father and older brother, have dedicated themselves to raising awareness about suicide prevention.

They've helped get legislation passed in Colorado, started a suicide prevention program in Denver and produced a four-part docuseries called "Mountain in my Mind," where they speak with athletes who share their stories of grief, trauma and resiliency through winter sports.

John Padilla, Jack's older brother, was inspired to create "Mountain in my Mind." It's an award-winning docuseries with four parts, covering mental health in the mountains, which is a community near and dear to the Padillas.

"Jack and I spent a lot of time riding. He was a snowboarder, and I'm a skier," said John Padilla, who was five years older than Jack.

Part 4 of "Mountain in my Mind" is a 45-minute film premiering on Saturday, and it took two years to film. John Padilla, the founder and executive producer, said the film shares stories of hope and resilience.

"We chose to focus on mountain communities mostly because the suicide rate in mountain towns is more than double the national average," said John Padilla. "Our films aim to address the variety of mental health issues that tend to affect people living in the Mountain West, specifically in the United States, specifically in ski areas and ski towns."

In the series, they interview athletes about mental health and create a safe space for them to talk about trauma or grief. The film brings together athletes at all levels.

"Our films consist of Olympians and World Cup skiers, X Games athletes, all the way to normal people like you and I that are just enjoying the mountains," said John. "We're giving the space to the athletes to open up about and give them a platform to be honest and not be this like perfect on the podium person has been huge."

Their hope is that the film breaks the silence, saves lives and ensures no other family has to walk this path alone.

"I'm hoping that our efforts and efforts of others in the community are making a difference and saving a life," said Rick Padilla. "We want to make a legacy for Jack that he'd be proud of. Sometimes we get to make that legacy when we're alive, and other times after we've passed."

John Padilla keeps a photo of Jack nearby, and says it reminds him of the importance of the work he does.

"We've saved 83 lives so far, and those are just people who have written us letters, sent us direct messages, sent me texts or emails," said John Padilla. "I would hope that Jack would be proud, and that's why I'm doing it."

Part 4 of "Mountain in my Mind" premieres Saturday evening at the Space Annex Art Gallery in Denver at 6 p.m. People can purchase tickets online or at the door. A portion of the profits will also go to local nonprofits working to prevent youth suicide.

The crew goes on tour every year to show the film in other cities, including other Colorado stops in Breckenridge and Steamboat Springs.

For more information about the film, click here.