I Understand
Social Change Agent
After the loss of her husband, Rob, in 2003, Vonnie Woodrick’s life was forever changed. She was forced to live a life without her loving partner and father of their three children. Life after loss was devastating, and her passion grew to change the way we view and talk about suicide. The questions asked, the stares given, and the judgement experienced, brought Vonnie to a place of passion to bring understanding to something so difficult to understand. Vonnie went on to found I Understand, a non-profit dedicated to changing the stigma surrounding mental and brain health and suicide. Through many projects, appearances and community partnerships, Vonnie is determined to change the conversation by updating the outdated definition of suicide, to talk about the illness rather than the act, and to show compassion to anyone who may be living with a mental and brain health illness or suicide loss.
Vonnie says, “I don’t want anyone to go through what I went through, and if they do, I want them to have compassion, hope and understanding on a topic that has been judged, stigmatized, and swept under the rug for too long.”