Meet Carter Andre-Van Lith. When a severe softball injury abruptly shifted her identity as a top-performing athlete, Carter found herself in the depths of loneliness and isolation. At her darkest point, she found herself unrecognizable, overwhelmed by the changes in her life and struggling mentally. During her recovery, Carter began the process of rediscovery as […]

Meet Izzy Boring. Between the incarceration of her father and her mom’s journey raising 5 kids while battling cancer, Izzy was no stranger to suffering growing up. In freshman year, Izzy met her boyfriend Cade. As they started dating, they began to plan a life together- the dream was to go to the same college, play basketball together, and eventually get married. But all those plans suddenly shattered when Izzy lost Cade to suicide during their senior year of high school. Although Izzy’s story is one she would have never chosen for herself, she knew she wanted to use her story and her voice to bring hope to other people by reminding them that they aren’t alone and life is worth sticking around for.

Izzy Boring was born in a small town north of Spokane, Washington. Izzy began playing basketball when she was four years old – in part because she was the only girl in a family of four brothers. Life took a turn for Izzy, when as an eight year old, Izzy’s father was sentenced to six years in prison for theft.  

n her early years as a middle and high schooler, Mariah describes herself as a mean girl. Having the upper-hand gave her the sense of security she desperately needed, but often left her disconnected and unsatisfied with her relationships and connections. As she shares her story, she shares how she learned the importance of being open-minded towards others, because you may never know what is going on their lives.

Meet Vik Chopra, our third storyteller for the I KNOW LONELY Project. Vik shares his journey with addiction that led to the loneliest and darkest place of his life. He recounts how his story begins as a straight-A student in high school to experiencing a successful career in his early twenties and then eventually becoming someone he couldn’t recognize in the mirror. Being trapped in a cycle of opioid and meth addition eventually led to crime as a way of survival. When Vik was arrested and charged with 26 felonies, he decided this was a chance to change how his story ends.

Mario Gonzalez was born in Mexico and moved with his family to the United States when he was three. Up until first grade, Mario lived in California. “My first memory is living in California as a four year old, so the United States is all I’ve known. My parents were immigrant workers, so everywhere that there was work, we were there.”

Meet Mario Gonzalez, as he shares his story as a part of the I KNOW LONELY Project. If you have followed along with Only7Seconds over the past 2 years, Mario is probably a familiar face. From SHARE Day videos, to film production, photography, and content creation, to having an internship with us this summer, he has been an integral part of creating Only7Seconds what it is today.

TW: Mentions of death and suicide  Ever since I was little, my mom has been my best friend. She had this spectacular way of walking the line between being parent and friend. She was so humble, so smart, so kind. My mom is the one who taught me to love music and the arts. She […]

Continued from: Notice. Stop. Reframe. As your thoughts change, you walk out this gift into changing your habits. Below are some tips to practically step into knowing that this GIFT of the present moment, to thrive today instead of just getting through.  We are not guaranteed tomorrow.  It is time to ask yourself “What do […]

“I feel like I am on a Roller Coaster and I can’t seem to get off of it or breathe!”  I have heard this statement (or a version of it) from at least a hundred people this past year as a Mental Health Counselor and when I tell them they are not alone on that […]

In 2019, Americans averaged 3 hours and 30 minutes on their phones per day, increasing 30 minutes from 2018. Also, in 2019, reported loneliness rose 13% from the year before, making an average 3 out of 5 lonely adults. Phone activity increased, but so did loneliness.