BY Pat Trevino | June 3, 2026
Earlier this week, another member of our community died by suicide. While we wait for confirmed details, we cannot ignore what this means: someone right here in Cuero was hurting beyond what most of us can imagine. We have to start taking this crisis seriously.
We are in the middle of a real mental‑health emergency. This isn’t happening somewhere far away — it’s happening here, to our neighbors, our coworkers, our classmates, our friends. And it’s happening far too often.
Years ago, when I worked with San Antonio psychologist Dr. Sean Connery, he told me something that has stayed with me ever since. I won’t pretend to remember his exact words, but the message was clear: for a person to reach the point of taking their own life, the level of pain they are carrying is far beyond what most of us can comprehend. Human beings are wired to survive. For someone to override that instinct, the suffering has to be unbearable — a pain so intense and consuming that it overwhelms even our most basic human drive to keep living.
Recently, I wrote about what I called the The Epidemic of Loneliness. That article wasn’t about me, and this post isn’t either. It was written because loneliness, isolation, and silent suffering are affecting people right here in our own town. And sometimes the smallest act of kindness — a check‑in, a moment of patience, a little grace — can be the thing that keeps someone going.
So I’m asking our community: What does it cost you to be kind? To slow down? To stop assuming you know the burden someone else is carrying? We don’t always get to see the battles people are fighting.
If you are struggling, or if someone you love is struggling, please reach out. Talk to someone you trust. Talk to a professional. You are not a burden. You are not alone. There are people who want to help you stay here.
If you or someone you know is in immediate emotional distress, please contact a suicide‑prevention hotline or crisis service. They are available 24/7 and can connect you with trained support.
Our town is small, but our hearts don’t have to be. Let’s show up for each other before another family has to face this kind of loss.
https://texassuicideprevention.org/