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Law Enforcement is full of  life or death decisions, often made in a split second...but what about when the life or death decision is in regard to YOUR own life?

In this week's episode features Mark DiBona, a retired Police Sergeant turned co-founder of Protecting the Guardian and International Speaker, who is passionate about First Responder Mental Health and suicide prevention. When he's not out serving the community he once served alongside, he is at home with his wife and dog, playing music...with hopes of opening a dive bar he can play in.

Mark shares his story of how childhood trauma, a toxic work culture, and the stressors of the job itself, led him to attempts to take his own life...once on duty and once off. He obviously survived those attempts and now travels around, sharing his story in hopes of bringing awareness to a topic so many of us were never "allowed" to talk about.

Not everyone will relate to this story and that is okay, but I encourage you to listen and realize this is where some of our brothers and sisters are...and are suffering in silence. I encourage you to listen with an open mind and no judgment, and think about how you can help those living with thoughts you could never imagine having.

I am so thankful Mark is here today and willing to be open and vulnerable about not only his story, but suicide prevention in first responders. It is going to take each and every one of us to help end the stigma that plagues our professions.

Make sure to follow Mark on LinkedIn and checkout his website here. 

If you haven't already...make sure you follow me on LinkedIn and on Instagram at @_nextshift_ AND @the_jessflores

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