LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Near Sunset Park, surrounded by sports fields and athletic amenities, Jeaneen Preston recalled her son, a young athlete whose life ended in an accident. In the aftermath, she said, she saw how deeply his death affected other children — and how much they needed support.
“He was loved by so many people and when he passed away, we realized the impact of his death on other kids and they needed a safe place knowing they could turn to adults and listen to their friends,” Preston said.
Preston is the founder of Project STAY, a youth mental health initiative that is making its Southern Nevada debut this month after working with young athletes in Northern Nevada on big emotions such as grief and training the adults around them — especially athletic coaches.
Annie Zucker, a youth mental health advocate with the Children’s Cabinet, is joining Preston in bringing the effort across the state. Zucker said the goal is not to turn coaches into clinicians, but to better equip them to respond when a child is struggling.
“It’s asking them to have the tools in their toolbox to take that back, and get a kid the help they need if they need it,” Zucker said.
From Nevada’s cities to rural towns, Project STAY leaders said many coaches are already stepping up and learning how to connect with kids who may need help. The program uses an acronym to guide adults on what to do.
“So STAY stands for 'If you see something, say something,'” Preston said. “T is take action: go to someone if you need someone in need. A is ask questions. 'Are you ok, how are you doing? Can I do anything to help.' And Y is 'You can be the difference.' You can be the difference in people's lives by asking questions and being present.”
The push comes as athletes and advocates continue to spotlight the mental health pressures young people can face. Carmen Bucci, a former professional baseball player, said he understands those pressures firsthand.
“The expectations are huge that we put on ourselves,” Bucci said.
Bucci pointed to a list of goals he wrote as a child, describing the intensity of his mindset about performance.
“I am now a star. It wasn't one day, I'll be good. It was a star now, you can only be good now, and that was constantly a focus for the better part of my career,” Bucci said.
Later, he said, he found the pressure and what he described as an inauthenticity became crippling until he acknowledged he needed help and turned to therapy.
“Yes, it was at a point where I was drinking 2 to 3 Jack and Cokes at night to go to sleep, 3 or 4 days at a time. I'm not getting out of bed, but when I saw friends, they thought everything was fine,” Bucci said.
“The best thing I could do was talk to somebody about it,” he said.
Bucci is now taking his message on the road, traveling to 30 cities in 30 days to encourage others to seek help. Las Vegas was second on his journey.
The encouragement comes amid broader concerns about youth mental health. Covenant House, a national shelter nonprofit, says unhoused youth face higher rates of emotional, behavioral, and immediate and long-term health issues, and that nearly 70% report mental health challenges. The American Academy of Pediatrics has called suicide and suicidal behavior a public health crisis among young people, and says suicide is the leading cause of death among those ages 10 to 24.
Bucci said he hopes more young people will feel empowered to speak up when they are struggling.
“There’s somebody there to help you. It’s the hardest thing to do, let people know you’re hurting right now but when you do that, it's amazing the humanity that's there; the people who will come to your aid,” he said.
Project STAY is also looking to expand its reach. They say they have support from the Raiders Foundation; a partnership they say is hard to believe.
“A little surreal to be honest. When we started this, we had no idea how big (it was). We just knew we wanted to make, I wanted to do something and leave a legacy for my son and here we are.” Preston said.
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