What can I do right now?

We suggest that right now you can make a personal TXT 911 list of a group of 5-10 people that you can TXT in a personal emergency. It's easy to make a TXT group on your phone, not instead of calling 911 but...

Most teens are far more comfortable TXTing than calling, and some places you don't have enough signal to call.

This is something a parent can do with a teen, or you can do with your friends, you send out a TXT to this group when you are in trouble, or in over your head. (Be sure to include at least one adult, a parent or responsible person in your TXT group.)

if you get a 911 TXT from a friend, start calling! Call the person who sent it to you first, and then call all the people on the list to find the person in trouble. Just this much might be enough to save a life.

The larger picture here is learning when to ask for help. And the right time to ask for help is the minute the thought crosses your mind, "Should I ask for help?"

The answer is always yes, be brave, ask for help and the rest of us will do our jobs to make sure that help comes when it's needed. It is the thing that makes us human, it is the lifeline that connects us all, it is our highest work.