About
Jimmy Powell has been married to Nancy for forty-three years and has one living son, Keith. Throughout these years, he has always had a strong faith, but in 1999, his faith became the sustaining force in his life.
He lost his youngest son, Eric, to suicide on May 17, 1999. This event changed him forever. His previous view about suicide changed as he began to read, study, and understand this difficult and misunderstood subject. Now, he wants to share what he has learned and help others cope with their loss through the understanding of the brain.
Jimmy has a B.S. Degree in Health and Physical Education from the University of Tennessee Knoxville. He also received a M.Ed. in School Administration from the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. He retired after twenty-five years of teaching in the public schools of Hamilton County.
Since his son’s death, he has done extensive research concerning suicide, religion, and the brain. He has written a paper on ‘The Use of Judgmental Language’ that was presented to the American Association of Suicidology in Denver, CO. This paper has been read in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Australia. He has received positive feedback from peers, suicide support groups, authors, and renowned psychiatrists in several countries.
Jimmy’s paper was featured in the Chattanooga Times Free Press under the heading of ‘A Father’s Quiet Crusade.’ He also appeared on a local TV program to discuss his paper and thoughts on suicide. Jimmy served as the facilitator of a suicide support group that meets at Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, TN for six years.
The Suicide Perspective website will present factual information to reduce the stigma and educate the general public on the ambiguous subject of suicide.