Affirmation Day – University of Maryland Athletics

Four years ago, Mitchell Lloyd lost one of his closest teammates to suicide. 

Lloyd is now a junior men’s lacrosse student-athlete at Maryland. But he previously played lacrosse for Philadelphia Freedom Club alongside his friend in high school. Lloyd says he seemed like one of the happiest kids on the team. Unbeknownst to Lloyd and many others, he was battling mental health issues.  

Following the tragedy, everyone on the lacrosse team banded to sport his number on their helmets and wear T-shirts to games to honor his spirit and love of lacrosse. Lloyd is constantly reminded of the friend and teammate he lost in 2020, especially during September — recognized as Suicide Awareness Month.  

Suicide awareness efforts have progressed since the tragedy. Lloyd appreciates the worldwide ongoing efforts to reduce the stigma of student-athletes and mental health. However, he strived for a more consistent and extended approach to combat the leading cause of death, according to the CDC.  

“As a student-athlete, I’ve witnessed firsthand the stigma that comes with mental health,” Lloyd said. “Players are afraid to talk about it, don’t understand how to treat it and most importantly, are afraid to confront it. Mental health has been prevalent in my life for as long as I can remember.”