By: Ben Addison & Matt Kirkle
One-hundred and thirteen people died in school shootings in 2018 and many students live in a dark reality where they fear their school could be next. A school shooting can leave students with many mental health issues like PTSD and depression.
This was true for UNO graduate, and former Guard for the UNO Men’s Basketball team when they made the run into the summit league finals, Kyler Erickson who was also a student at Millard South during the 2011 shooting.
Erickson was a senior at Millard South when the shooting occurred, and he remembers clearly what happened to him in the months after.
“…About six months after the shooting I started seeing these visions in my head and I would hear the sounds of shooting over and over and over again. I was just replaying it in my head every single night,” said Erickson.
After being hospitalized twice, having kidney stones, diagnosed with PTSD and depression, Erickson realized that he needed to get some help.
“That’s kind of what lead to me coming back, taking several months off basketball, off school and just focusing on my brain, and it was the best decision I’ve ever made.” Erickson said.
While at Millard South current Head Coach of the Boys Basketball team at Millard South, Tim Leuschen, who was the assistant varsity coach at the time, couldn’t even tell that Erickson was hurting as much as he was.
“I did not notice a major change in Kyler after the shooting,” said Leuschen, “His approach to practice and the games seemed very much the same.”
After playing for UNO, Erickson believed that he had a responsibility to use the platform that he was given to advocate for mental health.
“Following the shooting I felt a real responsibility, a real deep desire to make something of this life I have been given,” Erikson said, “I just didn’t want to take this story and have it be good for me. I wanted to take and use it to make a difference in the world.”
Erickson credits UNO for helping open the door for him to talk about mental health. He used this opportunity to talk to as many people as he could reach.
“I’ve been to 37 different states and been on a several year tour, but I just felt responsible. I have this story, I have the platform, I’ve been in this world of hurt. So, how can I tell my story, how can I get it out so that people who are hurting see that and they are able to get the help they need.” Said Erickson.
Visiting all these different states and taking that multi-year tour has allowed Erickson to spread his message about getting help.
“I just didn’t want to take this story and have it be good for me. I wanted to take it and use it to make a difference in the world,” said Erickson, “I just didn’t want to take this story and have it be good for me. I wanted to take it and use it to make a difference in the world.”
Leuschen echoed the importance of the work that Erickson has done and continues to.
“Mental health is such an important area of life and Kyler brings hope to those that are struggling. Many people have and will continue to benefit from Kyler’s message of love, hope, perseverance and kindness.”
