Two years later: woman who survived suicide attempt hopes to help others

Kempe is diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and dysthymic disorder, a type of cyclical depression

Two years later: woman who survived suicide attempt hopes to help others

By WILLIAM MORRIS

She works 20 hours a week now at Target. She is taking classes full-time at Riverland Community College. Even her appearance is different — the dark nail polish she once wore is gone, and the dark hair and pale skin are now blonde and tanned.

And she also has launched a new website aimed at helping people who, like her, are struggling with mental illness or thoughts of suicide.

Two years ago, Kempe was rushed to the hospital after slashing her wrists and overdosing on medications in a suicide attempt. One year ago, newly released from state custody, she was profiled by the People’s Press, and many of the things she’s accomplished in the last year were just dreams for the future. Now she’s well on her way to accomplishing them, and much more.

“It was a very long and painful process,” she says, looking back at 225 days of treatment and her ongoing recovery. “It was necessary, though.”

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