For many that knew Jeff Carlton, they remember him as a kind, funny, spirited guy who was a truly gifted student, excelled at every sport he ever tried and a friend to all and that is how we hope you will continue to remember him and keep him with you. Unfortunately mental illness had other plans for Jeff and no one can imagine the torture and pain his mind has endured. Jeff was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder in 2016. Over the course of the last couple years Jeff’s mental illness impacted him greatly at times and he lost hope, deciding to end his disease in the only way he saw as an option. His death has brought incredible pain to his family and friends but we hope that in this time of incredible pain we can find ways for his disease and story to help others.  

What we hope everyone will realize is that mental illness is not mental weakness, although many often look at it that way. It is a disease much like heart disease, diabetes or even cancer, but we often act as if that is not true. We might think that if the person was stronger, had a more supportive family or if they could just get their act together, they wouldn’t have this problem. We are asking that you join our family in creating a place where we ultimately see mental illness not as a weakness but like any other disease we bring awareness to and research, diagnose, support and effectively treat. We hope that with more funding for research in this area we can help create pathways that bring health and hope to other families who are battling this fight. Thank you for your support!