An Afghanistan veteran and single mother who committed suicide urged people with suicidal thoughts to seek help in an Instagram post months before her death.
Staff Sergeant Michelle Young, 34, a U.S. Army soldier and fitness influencer with 100,000 Instagram followers, died by suicide last week.
News of Young’s death came days after her daughter, Gracie, celebrated her 12th birthday on January 17.
In a post marking September’s Suicide Prevention Month, the Arizona native explained how she lost her late brother at the age of 14.
Describing him as her “protector” and “first best friend,” she said, “That day changed my life forever, but it also sparked a passion for helping others.”
Now, Young’s friends are urging others to seek support if they too are struggling with their mental health.
Sarah Maine, COO of activewear label Curves N Combatboots, has set up a GoFundMe in her honor. Before her death, Young regularly modeled for the brand.
“From the outside, it looked like she had it all,” Maine wrote. “Mental illness is so common, especially in the military. We have to find a way to do better.”
Staff Sergeant Michelle Young, 34, took her own life 20 years after losing her brother to suicide
The Arizona native was deployed twice to Afghanistan and had more than 100,000 followers on Instagram at the time of her death
In a post for Suicide Prevention Month, Young explained that she lost her brother at age 14, describing him as her “protector” and “first best friend.”
Friends remembered Young as a loving single mother to 12-year-old Gracie
Young’s death came just days after her daughter Gracie’s 12th birthday, which she celebrated with a social media post.
“Happy birthday to the sweetest girl I have ever known,” Young wrote. “She is a force to be reckoned with: she is witty, ambitious, kind, compassionate, intelligent, hardworking, hilarious and selfless.
“I cried the whole time I made this. I love you forever, little one. The best part of my life is being your mother.”
Young deployed twice to Afghanistan, most recently in 2021. That same year, she extended her military contract for another 20 years. As of September she had served 16.
She rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant in 2019 and commemorated the achievement with a post of her hugging then-seven-year-old Gracie.
“I wouldn’t have the drive and motivation I have today if it wasn’t for my daughter,” Young wrote. “She is my ‘why’ and she encourages me to be a better person and a better NCO every day.”
Proceeds from the GoFundMe will go toward helping Gracie “with whatever she needs.” At the time of writing, the campaign had raised more than $36,000 of its $50,000 goal.
Friends and loved ones remembered Young as a loving mother who was dedicated to helping others.
It was because of her brother’s death, Young explained, that she developed a passion for service and helping others
The single mother volunteered at Prescott Area Shelter Services, where she worked with women, children and families in crisis
The 34-year-old worked with the nonprofit Pilots to the Rescue in May to save shelter dogs at risk of being euthanized
She rose to the rank of staff sergeant in 2019 and extended her military contract to 20 years in 2021. As of September, she had served 16 of those years.
In her spare time, Young volunteered at a local homeless shelter and worked as a crisis and trauma response volunteer
Carmen Frederic, who volunteered with Young at Prescott Area Shelter Services, remembered her as someone who “showed each person so much love and respect.”
“When Michelle was out on the town with Gracie by her side and they saw one of the women walking, Michelle would always stop to offer a ride, take them for a hamburger or take them shopping for clothes,” recalled Frederic himself.
“She just had that special care for others, and no judgment, she just wanted to help.”
Maggie Hundshamer described Young as “a beacon in a world full of ships.”
“She was a phenomenal friend, mentor and mother and I miss her already,” she wrote. “Sending G-Money (Gracie) the biggest hug from my family.”
It seems Young also left an impression on those whose lives she temporarily touched.
“Gracie – your mom and I met at a photo shoot for the athletic apparel company we both work with,” Michaela Otero wrote.
“She was one of the kindest and smartest people I have met and I am so grateful for the time I got to spend with her. I didn’t know her well, but I can tell she loved you dearly.’
A woman who volunteered with Young described her as someone who “showed each person so much love and respect.”
Another woman who worked with Young on a photo shoot admitted she didn’t know the soldier well, but could tell she loved her daughter “fiercely”
In a 2019 Instagram post, the single mother thanked her daughter for giving her the drive and motivation to rise through the military ranks
One family member alluded to Young’s death in a Facebook post, urging others to contact their relatives because “some of them may be fighting a different kind of battle.”
In May, Young worked with the nonprofit Pilots to the Rescue to save seven shelter dogs at risk of being euthanized.
A woman who went by Brooke L recalled how their plane suffered an oil leak while flying over the Appalachians.
“Needless to say, ending up on this journey with Michelle was especially comforting – I felt so safe with her,” the woman wrote.
“We had no choice on this journey but to be our true selves, and by the end we had all found a lifelong friend in each other. She was so fierce and so funny, and will truly be missed.”
Young’s relative Lisa Rodriguez hinted at her death in a Facebook post.
“Look at your family members… some of them may be fighting a different kind of battle,” she wrote on January 19. ‘Nothing is the same when they are gone.’
In between photos of her glamorous vacations and gym workouts, the 34-year-old gave a glimpse into her struggles with mental health and body image.
“I feel like we live in a world where everything is a superficial facade and everyone acts like they don’t feel emotions, and that’s just not me,” Young wrote in a 2018 post.
“Life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but I promise you that if you let yourself feel the pain during the sad times, the happy times will be appreciated all the more.”