Who is Harry Miller and why should you know his name?

“Hope is just pretending to believe in something until one day you don’t have to pretend anymore.” – Harry Miller

Harry Miller has been making headlines lately, not for his NCAA academic excellence or his incredible talents as an offensive lineman on the Ohio State football team. Instead, recent headlines focus on Harry’s departure from college sports, declaring a “medical retirement” for mental health reasons. Harry’s transparency and vulnerability around his mental health are monumental—why?

Harry doesn’t fit the typical stereotypes about what mental health looks like. Suicidal thoughts don’t haunt the brawny college football player, 6’4” with long, blonde fairytale prince-type hair. Or do they?

Mental health awareness month is coming up next month. This day has been recognized in the U.S. since 1949. 1949?! Why, then, are there still so many misconceptions and stigmas around mental health? 

I believe, in part, it’s because those who struggle often are not met with understanding and acceptance when they try to speak about it. Harry’s story hits super close to home for me which is why I wanted to honor him in my post this month. His journey has been incredibly difficult. His decision to quit the team and speak publicly about his suicide attempts and life-long struggles with depression and anxiety was perhaps the most difficult yet. When he shared his story on social media, he said he had considered getting help in the past, but thought he’d “rather be dead than a coward”. What are we doing to our fellow humans to make anyone think the way Harry did in his time of need? It is in our subtle words, judgements, labels, and behaviors. Harry is a big, tough football player, and life has taught us he should be able to handle the pressure and the challenge. He is a man, and a common paradigm in life is that men shouldn’t share their emotions or feel them as deeply as women.

I encourage us all to challenge these deep-seated beliefs. Mental health is as real as any other part of our physical health, and we should attend to it as such. Mental health disorders are not gender- nor socioeconomic- nor field of study- specific.

Let’s equate Harry to any high performer who may be struggling in the workplace. As long as we employ humans, there is a place in “corporate America” for compassion, awareness, and acceptance of mental health and holistic well-being of our employees. As leaders, I challenge you to be intentional and inclusive with your words. Be respectful of emotions and situations you may not understand. Be aware of your unjust and untrue stereotypes and biases. We all have them, but we should all be challenging them & ridding ourselves of them. It’s ok to hold our employees to certian expectations and standards. It’s not ok to turn a blind eye to how the pressures of the workplace, and the rest of their lives, may be impacting our team members negatively. Mental health and well-being in our communities depends on us all! Many companies have mental health services offered through their benefits plans. Familiarize yourself with your company’s plan, and regularly remind your team members that help is offered, because they are valued as whole human people.

Harry is brave for choosing to speak up and share his story (of perfectly normal humanness), and he’s busting the mythical stereotypes many folks still carry. Let’s all give a huge heart shout out of gratitude for folks like Harry making big, bold statements in spaces where it’s hard to speak up, but shouldn’t be.

*If you want to know about my mental health journey, just ask! I am happy to share. Today was for Harry.