He walked in after I made the first cut. He took the steak knife from me, wrapped a dish towel around my wrist and held me. He held me while I cried. He held me while I beat my fists against him in frustration. He held me while I raged. And then he held me when in passed out in exhaustion.

He took me to his place and gave me his room, while he slept on the couch. He recruited his roommates to help and between the three of them, I was never alone for the next two weeks.

We'd only been seeing each other for a few months.

When I finally got back to myself, he sat me down. He said, I want you to promise me that you'll never do this again, without coming to me first. But before you make that promise, I want to tell you why it's so important to me.

A few months ago, late one night, I sat on this bed and put the barrel of a gun in my mouth. My ex wife had taken my kids and I haven't seen them in two years. I can't find them, I was all alone and I just couldn't keep going on. So I got drunk and decided to end it. But as hard as I tried, ibjust couldn't pull the trigger. I hated myself for that weakness. But I just couldn't. And do you know what happened next?

I shook my head no. I couldn't speak.

I got up the next day and went to my mother's. And just as I was about to leave, one of her renters called about a water leak. That was you, Aeboco. I met you the next day. You gave me hope, that I could survive, that I could live, really live again.

And now, I want you to make that promise, because you saved me without even knowing it. And I'm going to save you too.

I made that promise to him, and I've kept it all these years. I've been lower than low many times since then, but I've never again tried to take my own life. Because he deserves better than that.