Brittany Hendricks didn’t know college students Tyler Clementi and Trey Malone, but their suicides struck a chord for the UNC graduate.
Clementi, who was a student at Rutgers University at the time of his death, committed suicide in 2010. Malone, a student at Amherst College, committed suicide in 2012. Hendricks, who was an editor for The Daily Tar Heel during the 2013-14 academic year, was moved by their stories and decided to make a film about teen suicide, “Lost & Found,” which will be released in February 2016.
Though the film is still in its early stages, the project’s message has already gained support from community members. Hendricks’ former teachers have expressed their relief that teen suicide is being addressed. Facebook comments and supportive emails have boosted Hendricks’ confidence.
Janna Tolleson, a teacher in the Cabarrus County School District, reached out to Hendricks and shared news of Ashlyn Haffner, a teenager from Union County who committed suicide last week.
Haffner went to school in the same county as Janna Tolleson’s daughter, Kayli Tolleson. Though the girls didn’t personally know each other, Haffner’s death shook communities across the state.
“Anytime a community loses a child, it greatly impacts everyone,” Janna Tolleson said.
With an extensive acting background, Kayli Tolleson plays a role in “Lost & Found,” and Janna Tolleson said her daughter is grateful to promote an important message.
Hendricks’ family friend, Tristan Bailey, stars in the film as Austin Wright, a 17-year-old learning to cope with his girlfriend’s sudden suicide. Bailey said this character is the toughest role he has played.
“(Austin) is someone who acts like he has everything together on the outside, but on the inside he’s very broken,” Bailey said. “It’s important for me to play this character because I know that there are a lot of people out there who are in his exact position.”
