Braelyn (Brae) Rasco’s animated personality and connection with dance is  proof you can absolutely be the evidence of your loved ones without being the evidence of traumatic circumstance–but Brae will be the first to admit it’s been “one hell of a journey” sorting through all the layers to get here herself.

In part 1 of this conversation, we explore Brae’s life-long passion for creativity, including writing, drawing, and the special emotional tether she has to her mom through dance; reflect on each of our “young” memories of the 9/11 tragedy; and discuss Brae’s career in marketing and the incredible—and sometimes detrimental—impact social media has on our lives.

Then, we dive into what it was like growing up with a parent suffering from chronic vertigo and some of the regret Brae still holds for not fully understanding the illness back then as well as “shrugging off” unique burdens placed on her; discuss the unfortunate role society and the government played in the early 2000s—and sometimes still plays today—in not supporting people with depression as well as vertigo; and set the stage for Brae’s mother’s tragic suicide.

And throughout, we talk about the importance of dreams and how it is NEVER too late to pursue any of your passions, as well as the tremendous power of, and need for, “the conversation” when it comes to mental health.

We can all help prevent suicide. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States. You can text or call 988 anytime and receive support in English or Spanish.

Disclaimer: Not Your Average GOAT is produced and edited by Teisha Gillespie with music by Anton Vlasov and Serge Quadrado. All content is copyrighted and should not be reproduced, recreated or reused without explicit permission. Please visit NotYourAverageGOAT.org/Contact for questions.