Today we’d like to introduce you to Christina Slate.
Hi Christina, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My life is divided into before and after August 12, 2019. It’s the day my firstborn child and only son, Caleb, died unexpectedly by suicide at the age of 17. What began as a normal Monday ended in unimaginable tragedy.
The moments that followed were blurred by tears and shock, but the reality that Caleb was no longer in my arms became sharper with each passing day. The pain was so deep and consuming that I wasn’t sure survival was possible. Breathing felt like work I had to remind myself to do. Eating was nearly impossible. Living itself felt out of reach, and the darkness tried to swallow me whole.
But breath by breath, step by step, and day by day, my healing journey slowly began to take shape. I got to where I am today through the support of loving friends, family, and my community, along with therapy, grief work, and a promise I made to my son—to honor him by choosing healing and continuing to move forward.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No, it has not been a smooth road. It has been filled with deep pain, heartbreak, confusion, and more questions than answers. For a long time, grief was all-consuming, affecting every part of my life emotionally, mentally, and physically. I continue to struggle with PTSD, fear, and overwhelming anxiety that can make even the simplest tasks feel impossible.
There were days when getting out of bed took everything in me. Breathing felt heavy. Eating and sleeping became inconsistent, and my mind constantly replayed the loss, searching for understanding that never fully came. I wrestled with guilt, with “what ifs,” and with the reality of a life that no longer looked anything like the one I had known. The future I once expected will never happen.
Healing has not been linear. There have been setbacks, moments of deep sorrow that feel just as intense as the early days, and times when the weight of grief catches me off guard. Learning how to live alongside this loss while still choosing to move forward has been the greatest challenge of my life.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
In June 2020, I started The Caleb Cares Project, a nonprofit created in honor of my son, Caleb, and the life he lived. What began from deep grief grew into a mission rooted in compassion, connection, and service to others.
Through this work, we support families experiencing hardship by helping meet basic daily needs, including clothing, food, youth sports registration and equipment costs, and other forms of short-term assistance. Our goal is to ensure that children and families feel seen, supported, and cared for with dignity, compassion, and hope during some of their most difficult seasons.
Each year, we also award a scholarship to a graduating high school senior who shares Caleb’s passion for sports and plans to pursue a degree in sports media and communications, continuing his legacy in a meaningful and lasting way.
With every project and every family we serve, we have the opportunity to keep Caleb’s legacy of love alive while also sharing his story in hopes of encouraging conversations about suicide in hopes of saving lives.
I’m most proud that something born from unimaginable loss has become a source of hope and support for others. I never want a family or child to feel forgotten or alone during difficult times. What sets this work apart is that it is deeply personal. Every act of kindness, every family we help, and every connection we make is rooted in lived experience, empathy, and the desire to honor Caleb’s life by continuing to love people well.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I have learned many lessons on this journey, but one of the most important is that suicide is not always predictable. Warning signs are not always visible or fully understood, and sometimes what someone is experiencing internally is far deeper than others can see or grasp. I believe Caleb experienced a moment where his mind was overtaken, and he made a decision he never had the chance to reconsider.
A close second has been discovering my own resilience and resolve. At some point, I made a conscious decision to heal, and I have put everything I have into honoring that commitment. Healing has required courage, faith, support, and the willingness to keep moving forward even on the hardest days.
I’ve also learned that grief does not follow a clear path or timeline. It changes and evolves, but it never truly ends. I will carry the grief of losing my son with me for the rest of my life, and at the same time, I am learning how to carry love, purpose, hope, and healing alongside it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thecalebcaresproject.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/thecalebcaresproject
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/thecalebcaresproject
