TAMPA, Fla. — 9-year-old Aubrey Brown has had a challenging childhood.
But instead of hiding her feelings, she wants to share what it’s been like so others can learn the mental health struggles from a child’s point of view.
“When you go through suicide for a kid, it's really sad. But they don't know that from the kid's side of the story,” said Brown.
She continued, “As I started growing older, I realized if I didn't help people, they would have to feel as hurt as I did. And they wouldn't know how to deal with it because I didn't know how to deal with it at first.”
Part of that pain came in the first year of Aubrey’s life when her twin sister was diagnosed with stage 3 liver cancer. Her sister still struggles today with the long-term effects of chemotherapy.
“She still has some brain damage and hearing loss, but she’s my sister. So, I've got to give her that courage to help her get back on the right track,” explained Brown.
She is also outspoken about mental health issues after losing her dad to suicide just three years ago.
“I want to ensure that nobody feels this pain like my dad did because he probably just needed someone to be right there by his side,” said Brown.
She told ABC Action News how his absence may affect her later in life.
“As I started growing older, I realized all of the things he would miss doing with me. He would never walk me in any gown, not my pageant gown, prom gown, or wedding gown. He wouldn't get to talk to me about boys, school, or any other problem in life,” said Brown.
But then fate stepped in when she went to see the band “God-Smack” with her family. That is when she heard the song “Under Your Scars.”
Lead singer Sully Erna noticed Aubrey in the front row and brought her up on stage. But what she didn’t know was that Sully and his band have a non-profit organization called The Scars Foundation. It helps raise awareness of the mental health issues many face today.
“First of all, it started because Sully lost so many friends to suicide and overdose that it just broke his heart,” explained Naomi Fabricant, the executive director of The Scars Foundation.
She helps provide resources and tools to educate and empower people who struggle with these burdens.
“We have very highly credentialed therapists and counselors and social workers that we work with,” said Fabricant.
And Erna speaks out to make sure others feel less alone.
“In the last few years alone, the rise of mental illness, addiction, bullying, and suicide has taken a staggering amount of lives from us,” said Erna.
He continued, “These illnesses, these imperfections that make us all feel insecure or unworthy, are what we call scars. And whether they're emotional or physical scars, we want to encourage you to look at them as nothing more than just a reminder of what you survived.”
So, after meeting Brown and learning about her story, the nonprofit realized she had an incredible passion for helping others.
“Aubrey just seems to have embraced the challenges that she's been faced with and wants to turn, you know, the proverbial lemons into lemonade,” said Fabricant.
That is when Brown became The Scars Foundation’s first junior ambassador. She looks forward to reaching out to those in need so no one suffers in silence.
“I could do anything to change, maybe not the whole world, but at least half of it or some of it because you never know what people may be going through. So maybe they just need a friend,” explained Brown.
The Scars Foundation offers free services to those struggling with PTSD, addiction, abuse, or trauma. If you’d like to get involved, you can learn more on The Scars Foundation website here.
