The Cole Initiative
Donation protected
Devin Coleburn (Cole) Ousley was full of life, with a contagious smile that could light up the darkest of places. To know him was to love him. Cole had a brilliant mind and a promising future. The nineteen-year-old Kentucky Governor's Scholar planned to become a neurologist. Cole was our shining star--our sunshine. Until, suddenly, his light would shine no more.
None of us expected the call. We were completely blindsided. It seemed Cole had left in his car, and told a friend he was suicidal and had a gun. For hours, we searched for him. We called the police--we called friends and family. We looked everywhere we thought he may be. We were confused--it all seemed surreal to us. This wasn't the Cole we knew. It had to be a dream. But, it wasn't. Our Cole was found a few hours later. He had shot himself. He was gone.
We had no idea Cole would ever contemplate taking his own life. We thought he knew he meant everything to us and that we would do anything for him.
We have so many questions, but no answers. We'll never understand what happened that night. But we do understand one thing: We understand that one act can't be the end of the impact Cole has on our community--on our world. His purpose was too big for that; his dreams were too great to be snuffed out like a candle. We refuse to let that be the end. We refuse to let one more person end his or her life without fighting for them.
While one constant in our lives has ended, we are on the brink of beginning another. All funds donated will be used to begin a non-profit in Cole's honor to improve mental health services and work to prevent suicides in our local community. All funds will help ensure that Cole's legacy will go on and that his purpose will not be extinguished.
None of us expected the call. We were completely blindsided. It seemed Cole had left in his car, and told a friend he was suicidal and had a gun. For hours, we searched for him. We called the police--we called friends and family. We looked everywhere we thought he may be. We were confused--it all seemed surreal to us. This wasn't the Cole we knew. It had to be a dream. But, it wasn't. Our Cole was found a few hours later. He had shot himself. He was gone.
We had no idea Cole would ever contemplate taking his own life. We thought he knew he meant everything to us and that we would do anything for him.
We have so many questions, but no answers. We'll never understand what happened that night. But we do understand one thing: We understand that one act can't be the end of the impact Cole has on our community--on our world. His purpose was too big for that; his dreams were too great to be snuffed out like a candle. We refuse to let that be the end. We refuse to let one more person end his or her life without fighting for them.
While one constant in our lives has ended, we are on the brink of beginning another. All funds donated will be used to begin a non-profit in Cole's honor to improve mental health services and work to prevent suicides in our local community. All funds will help ensure that Cole's legacy will go on and that his purpose will not be extinguished.
Organizer
Andrea Hurley
Organizer
Pikeville, KY
