Harry Miller
President
Harry graduated from THE Ohio State University Summa Cum Laude with a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering. Formerly a starting offensive lineman, Harry made the decision to step away from football to focus on his mental health when in March 2022 he announced that he was “Medically Retiring”. Since that time, Harry has become a prominent Mental Health Advocate and has been keeping the conversation going through interviews, podcasts, visits
to schools, speaking engagements around the country, and social media posts. He is also spending time in Washington D.C. helping support and create policy and legislation such as the TEAMS Act, among other initiatives. In his free time, Harry enjoys reading, writing stories, playing Rugby, sketching, playing guitar, and spending time with his friends.
Debbie Schlib
Treasurer
Debbie has been a Controller in the automotive industry for over 30 years, which includes Human Resources. Harry’s experience has taught her how to see and help others while letting them know it’s ok not to be ok. Debbie’s free time is spent with friends and family, gardening, or experimenting with new cookie recipes.
Kristina Miller
Vice President/Director
Kristina has worked in the healthcare field since 1992, with the last 21 years of her career in a pediatric hospital in Atlanta. She is passionate about healthcare for kids, including mental health. As Harry’s mom, Kristina has had a front row seat to mental illness since 2009, when Harry first expressed his thoughts of suicide. Kristina’s passion now lies in breaking the stigma surrounding mental illness, keeping the conversation going, and teaching kids and adults alike that it’s ok not to be ok. When Kristina is not advocating for mental health, you can find her on the sidelines of her son’s lacrosse game, walking miles around town, or solving crimes on ID.
Jack Miller
IT Support
Jack is a full-time student-athlete at Buford HS. His quiet leadership by example and willingness to serve his lacrosse teammates earned him the 2023 season’s “Green and Gold Award”. Jack proudly wears, and distributes DMIW bracelets to fellow students and teammates. In his free time, Jack enjoys online gaming, creating and editing videos, and spending time with his family and pets.
About our organization...
In March 2022, immediately following the announcement of my son's (Harry Miller) medical retirement from college football due to mental illness, I received an overwhelming number of messages from parents all over the country who were also walking beside their children living with mental illnesses. Many of these messages came from local parents and neighbors who shared very similar stories of fear, doubt, and loss, “My son”, “My daughter”, “My brother”, “My sister”, “My father”, “My mother”, “My friend”. So many people suffering alone, in silence right here in our community, this had to stop! How wonderful would it be for these people to hear each other’s stories, to realize they aren’t alone, that there were people who understood what they were going through? From this realization, the nonprofit “Don’t Make It Weird” was created in April 2023, and I received training by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities to become a “Certified Peer Specialist – Parent”. We started with billboards and banners, directing people to the DMIW.org website for information and resources. Soon, I started looking for places for this group to meet once monthly to share our “lived experiences” with one another. We started to bring in speakers and advocates, but as the group grew, it became more challenging to find a private space to meet. The idea of a place of our own took root and began to grow.
We are not counselors and DO NOT provide counseling services.
We are peers who walk this journey beside one another, together. What we hope to provide for the community are resources, referrals, support, education, wellness classes, and positive experiences in general, particularly for our young people who are struggling so terribly, so when negative experiences occur, we are all better equipped in mind, body, and spirit. What we DO provide:
- Quiet after school study space
- Free community wellness classes
- Suicide Prevention Training – 2-hour class for everyone
- Youth Mental Health First Aid – 8-hour class for parents, teachers, coaches
- Guest Speakers & Advocates on a wide variety of topics
- Community Classes on a wide variety of subjects
- Life Skills Club for Teens
- Group Mental Performance Coaching for Performance Anxiety and Confidence Building
- Peer support, and so much more
Mental health IS health. Mental illness IS illness. Just like any other illness, it can be chronic, it can be mild or severe, it may or may not require medication, it can be life-threatening, it requires monitoring, and it deserves the same amount of attention and support. We hope you will join us in our mission to break the stigma while building a resilient, compassionate, and loving community.
Kristina Miller, CPS-P
Certified Peer Specialist - Parent
VP and Director, DMIW, Inc
About our back story...
Harry Miller appeared to have it all. The 2019 graduate of Buford High School (Georgia) was the valedictorian of his class, a missionary who serves on the board of “Mission For Nicaragua”, and a “Five Star” football recruit who had full scholarship offers to nearly every top football program in the country. Ultimately, he chose to play at THE Ohio State University where he saw time on the field playing as a freshman and would soon be interviewing agents who wanted to represent him in the NFL draft as a high round pick. All was going as planned, or so everyone thought. Late in the evening in August 2021, Harry would make a call to his mother that changed the trajectory of all their lives forever with five words, “I can’t do this anymore.” The following day after speaking to his Head Coach Ryan Day, telling him about his overwhelming desire and intent to take his life, he received the help he desperately needed. Like any other injury or illness, Harry began working with professionals to help heal from an illness that no one else could see, but everyone was talking about, “Where is Harry Miller?” After quietly sitting out of the 2021 season with much speculation as to his whereabouts Harry decided it was time to put an end to the false narratives circulating and tell his story by announcing his medical retirement from football. His statement caught the hearts of the country, and he was instantly catapulted into a newer, more important role, Mental Health Advocate. His mission is simple, to break the stigma surrounding mental illness by raising awareness and education, using the motto, “Don’t Make It Weird”, talk about mental health.
DMIW is talking about mental health...
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