Category: mental health

Announcing our Matt Kurtz Kindness Award Winner for May 2023

    Jackie Kurtz

Susan Melton Kindness Award Winner

Susan Melton, (Cheboygan, MI), spreads positivity with chalk art. Every day she leaves a positive message on sidewalks for everyone to see. What started as a summer project in 2011, has turned into 12 years of chalking and she’s still going strong. Amazingly, she hasn’t missed a day, she’s out there chalking positivity, even in wind, rain, or snow.  When asked how she dealt with the snow, she said, “I scrape off the snow and I chalk fast.” Continue reading Announcing our Matt Kurtz Kindness Award Winner for May 2023 →

Help for Serious Mental Illness and Matt’s 38th Birthday

    Jackie Kurtz

Resource Guide for Serious Mental Illness

Today, Matt would be 38 years old. We’ve had to live 5 years and 9 months without his presence in our lives, without new memories, without his touch and his effervescent smile. We’ve learned how to live and find some happiness in spite of our grief, but there’s not a day that goes by that we don’t hurt from missing him.  We’re grateful for the 32 years of wonderful memories we shared with Matt that make us smile and warm our aching hearts, but we miss him so much.   Continue reading Help for Serious Mental Illness and Matt’s 38th Birthday →

Pickleball is Therapy

    Jackie Kurtz
Ocean Pines Pickleball Community
Ocean Pines, MD, Pink Ribbon Event

Pickleball has been all over the news for the last few years. It even made it to the front page of the Washington Post. It’s been called the fastest-growing sport in America and people of all ages, shapes, and sizes have been jumping in to play. I’ve been playing pickleball for 10 years but it wasn’t until Matt died that I appreciated the therapeutic effects of pickleball.    

Continue reading Pickleball is Therapy →

Help for Serious Mental Illness and Matt’s 37th Birthday

    Jackie Kurtz
Mental Illness You are Not alone

Matt would be 37 years old today. While we’ve had to live five years without Matt and learned how to live and find some happiness in spite of our grief, there’s not a day that goes by that we don’t hurt from missing him.  We are grateful for the 32 years of wonderful memories we shared with Matt that make us smile and warm our aching hearts, but we miss him so much.  

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Matt Kurtz Kindness Award Winners, May 2021

    Jackie Kurtz
Kindness Quote

We’re doing something we’ve never done before, we’re giving out three kindness awards this month. We’ve been getting more and more nominations of truly inspirational people, making it that much harder to narrow it down to one winner. We’re so grateful for the generosity of our donors, who make it possible for us to give out these additional awards.

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Matt’s Birthday and Help for Serious Mental Illness

    Jackie Kurtz
Matt Kurtz and family
Brian, Jackie, Matt, Ron

Matt would be 36 years old today.  Oh, how I miss him.  I wish I could go back to the before times, back in the day when I lived in ignorant bliss and knew nothing about mental illness and grief.  When Matt was healthy and happy and our family was complete.  When life was easy and full of joy.  

Continue reading Matt’s Birthday and Help for Serious Mental Illness →

Courageous Mom Shares About Her Family

    Jackie Kurtz
Kelli Lewis and Ahav
Kelli Lewis and her son, Ahav, play basketball. (Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Post)

Kelli Lewis is incredibly brave.  She allowed a reporter into her home to share what life is like with her 11-year-old son who was diagnosed with schizophrenia.  She is putting herself out there, and in the process educating so many people who have no idea what it can be like to live with someone diagnosed with serious mental illness.  It’s not something that’s talked about.  There’s a huge stigma around mental illness and she’s opening herself up to all kinds of judgments and opinions from people who have no idea how difficult it can be. 

Continue reading Courageous Mom Shares About Her Family →