Real Voices: Shereta, Shelley, and Mary

Today’s Real Voice comes from the Stanley Sessions Project, highlighted in Prevention Through Art week. The Stanley Sessions Project was created by Whitney Saleski and aimed to reduce the stigma surrounding suicide with photography and storytelling. Real Voices will involve stories that may be triggering or sobering to hear. So, if you or a loved one is having thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255, or dial 911. The Crisis Text Line for Georgia is Text GA to 741741, this is a free 24/7 text line for people in crisis.

This is Shereta, Shelley, and Mary’s story.

“Our friend, Alisha M. Priest, was full of life. She was creative, loved people, and they loved her. She was strong but didn’t know it. She was an encourager but found it difficult to encourage herself. She was a giver. Alisha was a great mother to her son, Timothy Priest II, and was a wonderful wife, sister, and friend. She was also a loving daughter. Alisha loved HARD! She loved God, His word, and His people. Alisha was wise beyond her years. She was a gifted hairstylist, and even overcame her battle with weight and became a body builder. She was truly beautiful on the inside and the outside. But because of some childhood issues that she battled throughout her life, Alisha was plagued with depression. This constant struggle contributed to her suicide on Father’s Day, 2006.
If only she could have seen herself the way we saw and LOVED her, we know that she would still be with us today.”

To learn more about Shereta, Shelley, and Mary’s story and the Stanley Sessions project go to http://stanleysessions.com/.