Late one night, a highschooler named Mato* sat on the edge of his bed, with his head hung low. His anxiety felt heavy—like a weight he could never set down. Even the medication meant to help had not lifted the burden. He was ready to give up trying, when he called Distress Centre Calgary, the only crisis support service available in the evenings.
On the other end of the line was a human responder, Talia*. Because of your generosity, Talia was equipped with strong training and was there to answer compassionately. She could hear the tremble in Mato’s voice when he said he no longer wanted to be here. Where AI might have misinterpreted this as innocent frustration or even a request for travel ideas, Talia knew what Mato meant – he was having thoughts of suicide. Speaking gently, Talia knew to validate Mato’s pain and gave him space to open up at his own pace.
Did you know 1 in 4 people will experience suicidal thoughts in their lifetime?
Thanks to your donations, people can reach out and be met with a caring responder in their darkest moments. Because of you, Albertans don’t need to navigate suicidal thoughts alone and with this year’s match, your generosity will go twice as far!
As Talia built trust with young Mato, he revealed he had attempted suicide before. He admitted he was afraid to tell his family because he believed they didn’t care. And if they dismissed his pain, it would devastate him. Talia knew not to push him toward something that frightened him—instead, she guided him to think of other safe adults he could trust. Because of your donations, Talia had the training to know how to guide Mato to safety. .
By the end of the call, Mato felt less alone and had a plan to talk to his school counsellor the next morning. He thanked Talia and was able to get some rest.
Thanks to your generosity, human connection saved Mato’s life that night and he carried hope into the next morning.
Mato is like so many Albertans who face suicidal thoughts
Your support ensures that when someone like Mato reaches out, a real human answers when someone needs it most. Not an AI that might mistake “giving up” as simply quitting medication—but a trained, compassionate person who understands that “giving up” can mean suicide, and who is willing and able to ask the hard questions with empathy.
Because of your generosity, our lines stay open 24/7, staffed by humans who offer patience, compassion, and genuine understanding. And right now, your gift goes even further — every call answered, every life supported, is amplified through our matching campaign.
Keep Connection Human
When you give, you ensure real people are there to support real people in their darkest moments. Your kindness keeps hope alive. And thanks to the match, your generosity saves double the lives.
Donate today to keep compassionate support human—because human connection saves lives.
*Names and details changed to maintain confidentiality
