NORFOLK, Va. - A Norfolk mother wants to help other families battling mental illness after her son died by suicide.
Tucker Corprew started the Chas Foundation after her middle son, Chas, took his own life when he was 34 years old. Corprew said Chas was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and psychosis.
“He would ski; he was really good at sports. He was very sociable, and he had friends from all over. He loved music, and he was a really good golfer," Corprew said. "It was just nothing that you would think that he would ever, down the road, commit suicide.”
The Chas Foundation connects people in Hampton Roads with mental health resources, specifically finding providers, support groups and other crisis intervention programs.
“Families don’t know how to navigate the mental health maze and the services," Corprew said, "so they need somebody who has already been through it, who has gone up against the barriers to support them and to help them.”
The non-profit also has their own mental health help, via their Navigator program.
“The navigator will take a brief history and then they get individualized action plan, where we know all the resources so we connect you to the one that we think is the best fit,” Corprew said.
More information on the Chas Foundation and mental health resources in Hampton Roads can be found here.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health and need help, below are some resources:
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (800) 273-8255
- Crisis Textline: Text ASKUS to 741741
