Nick LeDonne calls himself, “The Happiest Person to Talk About Depression.” Among the reasons, it’s fun to see people’s reactions from hearing those two words together. LeDonne, a former Nickelodeon animator, award-winning filmmaker, and youth suicide prevention speaker, has opened up on his life in a big way. As depression rises in a time of crisis, he wrote a path to hope.
His new book, “From Hanging to Hang ON: A True Story of a Suicide Survivor, Overcoming Depression, and Achieving Happiness” retells his conquered struggles with suicide that follows his life story of a young boy with a big dream, to be an animator.
The emotional book goes on a journey through darkness and out the other side to find light to cover LeDonne’s early childhood, high school depression, college dramas, and up to a suicide attempt by hanging in college. Instead of taking his life, he finds the strength to Hang ON against every hardship that follows in the pursuit to his dream.
The life story includes bullying, loss, relationships, horse farts, a few tears, a handful of laughs, and even being kidnaped in the trunk of a car. It’s a wild and heartfelt ride from depression to happiness that focuses on our dreams, our family, and using our voice to make a difference. LeDonne at 26 years old, has gone from walking red carpets to living homeless. He’s been a college drop out to a college professor. A labor worker riding in trucks with trash, to a global voice speaking out on suicide. Most important of all his life stories, he has gone from Hanging to Hang ON.
Throughout the book, LeDonne identifies patterns of depression, suicide, and happiness at key points, but the second half is a comprehensive 16-point “Path to Hope” for suicide prevention.
LeDonne lifts the veil on depression to discuss topics including: Living Forward, Depression Cycles, The Suicidal Feeling, My Old Self, External Hopes, Seeking Help, The Man Stigma, The LGBTQ Community, Trust, Dreams, Fulfillment, Happiness, and many more. The lessons are filled with relatable analogies and casual perspectives such as comparing negative emotions to broken trucks, suicide to stranger danger, and chronic depression to frozen pizza. It’s an animated conversation on depression, written by the happiest person to talk about it.
“From Hanging to Hang ON” is an educational guide for those suffering and those supporting others. Reading level is suggested for MA-17+ and includes a stress reading guide, lifeline call/text resources, and a mindful approach to writing about heavy life conversations.
The new release is already the #1 Best-Selling book on Psychology, Suicide at Barnes & Noble.
The paperback edition ($15.99 USD) is exclusively sold at Barnes & Nobles.com. The eBook edition ($2.99 USD) is easily available on Apple iBooks, Amazon Kindle, B&N Nook, Kobo eBooks, Google Play Books, Wal-Mart eBooks, and for library collections by Libby/Overdrive. Each eBook app includes a free sample to read chapter 1.
Learn more and find a 55+ page sample of the book at: www.nickledonne.com/book.
