Although Atlanta Falcons tight end Hayden Hurst has not been in town very long, he is doing what he can to make an impact on the community amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. His efforts to address the stigma of talking about depression and suicide have already helped him reach out to those dealing with it.

Hurst has his own testimony after revealing that he himself had attempted suicide during an unsuccessful stint as a pitcher with the Pittsburgh Pirates. According to ESPN's Vaughn McClure, he is now doing what he can to encourage others to turn their lives around:

“Like I said, I pretty much hit rock bottom,” Hurst said. “But in hindsight, it’s the best thing that ever happened to me because it kind of flipped a switch for me internally that I needed to turn my life around. I’m sober now, and I haven’t touched any [drugs]. I think I’m a way better person without all that stuff.

Hurst was able to make the successful transition back to football as a walk-on at South Carolina's. Although his problems were far from over, it ultimately proved to be the first step toward addressing his mental wellness.

Hurst created the Hayden Hurst Family Foundation in 2018 to focus on mental health awareness and suicide prevention. The foundation puts an emphasis on providing adolescent kids and teenagers with the proper tools to help them cope with trauma. It was reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2017 that suicide was the second-leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 34, behind only unintentional injury.