(cheerful music) - The I Love You, Bro Project is a powerful Utah-based movement focused on men's mental health, connection, and suicide prevention.

Here to tell us how the program builds stronger communities is Joe Tuia'ana Thank you so much for being here.

- Thank you for having me.

- So tell me about, I Love You, Bro.

How it got started, how you got involved in this program.

- So the I Love You, Bro Project came from, I wanna say a terrible, beautiful experience, suicide prevention experience on an overpass in Lehi, Utah.

And after, you know, a minute or so of wondering what I should do to help a bro, this bro, I said a little prayer, just, you know, let this bro feel loved.

And I had some inspiration give it to me just to open my arms to him and almost shouting at him 'cause it was so loud, "I love you, bro", the words, "I love you, bro."

And so was able to love him off the ledge and just sit and be present with him and just cry with him, be real with him in this space.

And so from that experience, he came over to our house, got to know him, and looked up some resources for him to go to get some help.

And there were just none around that were specific for men.

But as we were doing some research, we found that men are 80% of all suicides.

And so not a lot of people know that.

They know suicide's a problem, but they don't know to what extent specifically for men.

And so I started just a simple group with some of my buddies in this bro.

And it was my first of now 15-weekly support groups, creating spaces for men to be vulnerable, to open up, to own their feelings and emotions and to kind of like grow through some of this stuff together.

- Did you already have a background in that area?

What?

- I did not.

Yeah.

(laughs genuinely) I was kind of compelled to get into it because the need was so dire.

- [Liz] Yeah.

- You know, and there was nothing out there.

And so I was like, "You know, I think I can make a difference.

I'm pretty good at talking with people, you know, and connecting with others."

And so I did.

And so I started this first group in Provo and then now, you know, four years later, three and a half years later, we're at 15 weekly support group spaces for men all throughout the state of Utah.

- That is incredible, Joe.

Thank you so much for joining us and for sharing your story.

If you would like to learn more about the I Love You, Bro Project, the website is on the screen, iloveyoubroproject.org, head to that website and learn more about how you can give back or be a part of this initiative.

I'm Liz Adeola and thank you for watching Contact.

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