BLANCHESTER — Ricky Roush of Blanchester, Warren County, has started the Szedi Roush Foundation following the death of his 14-year-old daughter, Szedi Roush, on June 12. Ricky Roush believes social media played a role in his daughter’s decision to end her life.
The foundation aims to share Szedi Roush’s story and provide mental health resources to help others who may be struggling.
Ricky Roush’s belief about social media’s impact aligns with findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC reports that nearly 80 percent of high school students use social media several times a day.
The CDC suggests that this frequent usage can negatively affect their mental health.
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Szedi Roush was described by her father, Ricky Roush, as “bubbly, popular, and funny.” She enjoyed playing sports and spent one year at Blanchester High School.
Ricky Roush said Szedi was “super happy, ran around a lot, I guess your typical kid.”Szedi Roush’s sister, Szofi Roush, recalled Szedi’s love for the outdoors, movies, and books, stating, “She loved literally everything outdoors, watch movies, read books, quite literally everything.”
Both Ricky and Szofi Roush indicated they were unaware Szedi was struggling mentally. After her death, the family discovered she had social media accounts they did not know about, where she was experiencing online bullying.
Ricky Roush views the prevalence of social media’s negative effects as widespread. “It’s way more prevalent than we realized. It’s, in my mind, an epidemic,” Ricky Roush said, referring to the impact of social media on mental health.
The Szedi Roush Foundation was established in the hope that by sharing Szedi’s story and offering mental health support, it can assist others. Ricky Roush emphasized the foundation’s goal, stating, “The only thing that we can do is just do better and learn from it, and that’s our goal.”
Ricky Roush wants parents in a similar situation not to blame themselves.
For those feeling similar to how Szedi Roush did, help is available.
The suicide hotline number is available on WHIO.com.
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