LANSING, Michigan (WILX) – “you are not alone” mental health series, we present the story of crisis counselor Liz Baker, who answers the calls of people in distress and whose personal journey fuels her dedication to saving lives.

Baker’s work focuses on one mission: preventing suicide. As a trained crisis counselor, she provides emotional support to people struggling with the thought of ending their lives.

Baker is Secretary of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Her full-time job is responding to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

“One of my favorite moments is when the callers realize the world is not ending and they still have a life to live,” he said. “You can hear the click in their sound.”

Baker gets calls from people who find themselves in very dark places that he knows all too well.

Transforming Personal Trauma into Purpose

“What was once pain, misunderstanding and not knowing has now become purpose,” he said.

This purpose was born out of personal trauma. When Baker was just 17, he lost one of his closest friends, Desmond, to suicide. After receiving a distressing message from him, they rushed to his home with his mother and arrived just as he was about to take his own life.

“We got there before the first responders. I’ll never forget that. My mom had to stop me from seeing him.”

His friend’s tragic death left Baker with painful questions: “What could I have done? Could I have stopped this?”

These questions led him to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s “Out of the Darkness Walk” at Sharpe Park in Lansing. In one powerful moment, he felt the hand of an old teacher on his back; It was a comforting reminder that suicide affects so many people, even those we least expect.

“It was an ‘aha’ moment to see someone so prominent in society suffer suicide,” he said.

This statement increased Baker’s determination to help others. He has chaired the same march ever since and currently serves as the department’s secretary.

Confronting His Own Struggles

But three years after she began her advocacy, she faced her own struggles with suicidal thoughts.

“I felt like a fraud preaching mental health trying to use these tools.”

In her darkest hour, Baker picked up the phone and called the lifeline where she now worked. Talking to someone outside of his situation helped him see things differently.

“I thought I was protecting my family by keeping them out of this, but I realized it would only bring them pain.”

After being hospitalized and recovering for a while, Baker discovered a sense of purpose in her own experience.

Making Desmond Proud

He now attributes his mission to his journey, telling callers: “I wore the same shoes and you can get through this the same way I did. There is something very powerful about showing my lived experience to someone, ‘I’ve been there, you can get out too’.”

Baker honors Desmond’s memory, knowing that he would be proud of his work.

“He would be happy to know that his story started something that would help countless people. “I carry it with me every day.”

If you or someone you know is having trouble, call the 988 helpline. The service is confidential and call 911 if you have a plan.

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