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About me

Hi!

My name is Cate Edelen, I'm 15 and I live in Washington State.

Stronger Together is based off my past. 

During school, February 17th, 2016 I found out my best friend passed away in a car accident. I was so devastated and at that point I was crying my eyes out. My friends were very supportive, however due to crying in school, the words began. "Crybaby" was at that point my name at school. I started to get bullied daily because people thought I was weak. "Ugly" was a word I heard at least once a day. Due to bullying I became really depressed. I thought "Maybe they would be better without me." 

A month later (March 11th, 2016) my friend passed away to cancer. At that point I was destroyed. I knew no one who knows the feeling of the death of 2 of your greatest friends less than a month apart, I needed someone who understood. No one did. I was depressed. Bullying gave me terrible anxiety to the point where all I wore was black because black makes you look thinner. 

Mid March I was done. I dealt with too much things for my 11 year old self to handle. I thought self harm was my only route, because "no one cares about me anyways."

In 7th grade I had so much anxiety. Starting a new year with self harm scars on my wrists, I was too afraid to take off my coat in 90 degree weather. I rarely spoke. I was diagnosed with General Anxiety Disorder (GAD). I wore black almost daily, when I couldn't, I wore navy blue. I never rose my hand. When I had to speak all it was is stuttering.

January 3rd, 2017 I lost a really good friend named Dakota of mine to suicide. I couldn't believe it. My friend who helped me through everything, killed herself. "That could have been me," is all I was able to think about.

I decided I needed to change. Depression and anxiety destroyed that happy social Cate. I did anything I could to change. I stopped self harming, I started speaking again. For the first time in a whole school year, I rose my hand in class. I was called on. I actually felt confident in my answer and for raising my hand in general.

A whole school year later, I have never been more happy. I have bad days a lot still, however at the end of the day there is always light waiting for me. December 18th, 2017 made it a year since I last self harmed. I am still afraid to show my arms because of the scars, but I don't remember the last time I wore all black.

Unfortunately, February 4th, 2o18 I lost my amazing friend named Nicole to suicide. We talked almost every day for 3 years, she killed herself because of bullying. She was such an amazing person and I will never forget her.

Even though Nicole's death put a large impact on me, it somehow reminds me to keep moving forward. 

Sadly, April 9th, 2018 I found out during school that my friend Kaylee passed away to suicide. We met January 15th, 2015. She killed herself because of depression and bipolar disorder. I was the last person she spoke to before she killed herself. Even though she had a plan, she still put a smile on my face. We called every time we cleaned our rooms, it does not seem cool or fun but it was the greatest memories Kaylee had.

I still struggle with grief, gad, and depression, however I know to stay strong. Because that's what Dakota, Nicole and Kaylee wanted for me. 

Throughout what I have gone through, it made me realize, I am strong. I lived through what most students and adults cannot imagine. Yet I am still here, smiling.

Stronger Together was created to help me and others stay strong.

I really hope after hearing my story, you know to never give up.

You are stronger than you think. Please do not give up, no matter how long it takes. Stay strong everyone!

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