'Just be kind': Family uses scholarship to memorialize woman who died of suicide

BALTIMORE -- Family of a former student at Mt. Carmel High School is keeping her memory alive two years after she took her own life.

October is National Suicide Prevention Month.

In 2020, more than 46,000 Americans took their own life which accounts for one person every 11 minutes.

For Katie Klein, she embodied the spirit of Mt. Carmel High School.

After she took her life in 2020, it has been her mother's mission to share her story,

On June 7, 2020, Tina King was running morning errands when she got that call that no parent wants to hear.

"My daughter told me that the door was locked, the bathroom door and I told my husband to break that door down, and uhm, they found her," King said.

Klein was struggling with anxiety and depression during the pandemic. However, her death still came as a shock to her mother.

"She loved her job, she paid her own bills, she always had a smile," King said. "You would never think she didn't like to burden people."

The 2013 Mt. Carmel graduate was loved at her alma mater  where she was a three-sport athlete.

She inspired many, including her younger brother Luke Klein. 

"Honestly, it was very heartbreaking to me when it happened, but I use it as motivation," Klein said. "I play for her and my three sports that I play. I play soccer, I wrestle, and I play lacrosse. "

In honor of Katie's memory, her family created a foundation to help others avoid suicide. 

Fittingly, it's called "Let it be Life."

Junior athlete Isabella Lynn is the first recipient of a scholarship.

"Listening to her brother, it's about being a good person to other people," Lynn said. "You never really know what's going on in someone's head."

"She reminds me of Katie, just her smile, her sports, she's just a bright young girl," King added.

Lynn said that a simple question could save a life.

"Just be kind, and if you see someone's having a rough day, say, 'Hey are you OK?'"

"These young adults need to know that there is people that care out there, that dark tunnel doesn't need to be seen, go get help," King said.

If you or someone you know is going through emotional distress or contemplating suicide, there is help available.

You can call the national hotline at the number 988. It's available 24 hours a day.