Transgender Adult Shares Story Of Survival, Tells Others 'You're Not Alone' To Mark National Suicide Prevention Month

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - The month of September is dedicated to reminding people about the countless lives lost because of suicide, luckily help is just a call away.

Wednesday, a coalition of leaders, from the Dr. Brandt Foundation, Miami-Dade County Mayor, along with Heat and Dolphins representatives got together to end the stigma for people struggling to get help.

Nelida Jean-Baptiste Pellot, 35, shared with CBS4 their story to shed light on others.

"I actually have pictures of me, full make-up, beautiful, gorgeous nobody could tell anything was wrong."

Some people think suicide looks like sadness. For Pellot, in the days before they tried to take their own life, they looked like a happy person.

"I saw no exits, I had looked frantically for exits because I didn't want to deal with all my problems," they explained.

They shared that their life had been filled with trauma.

"I dealt with a mother with mental health issues," they said.

Pellot also happens to be transgender, queer and is a person of color, factors that can add extra layers of difficulties in life. The weight of trying to make things normal was unbearable, one night in January 2017, it found an exit through a bottle.

"I just swallowed the bottle of pills," they told CBS 4.

Pellot recalled they were rushed to the ER, their stomach pumped, they want others to know, mental health issues happen at different times in life.

"Because how can we fix a problem if we don't talk about the problem," Lori-Ann Diaz, Miami Heat V.P. Business Communications and Social Responsibility said.

That's part of the message the coalition of leaders is trying to send. Diaz shared not only that has she lost a recent colleague with the Heat, but her only family has struggled to talk about suicide.

"This is one of the aims of this campaign to bring it out of the shadows and into the light so that we can talk about it," Diaz emphasized.

Getting help is not a one-and-done deal, Pellot still struggles with support and affordable housing like so many.

"I've done it recently where I parked my car, I sleep in my car and then I would go bathe in the gym, and then to my make-up and hair," they said.

Because every day can be a fight Pellot told us, they extend compassion to anyone with the goal that it could help someone in need.

The number to talk to someone is 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or local Miami residents can call 211.