It wasn’t until Kevin “James” Richardson’s 26-year high school reunion that he began to seriously think of writing about his close call with suicide.

This thought was precipitated when an old friend asked about his football career at the University of Washington; all the old memories came flooding back. “It hit me right then,” Richardson recalls. “I had this inside me for so long and I needed to get it out.”

While in college, Richardson was on the verge of being drafted by the NFL when his dream suddenly fell apart. The disappointment led to a personal crisis that culminated in the decision to take his own life. Luckily, Richardson received the help he needed to overcome the setback and he went on to become a happily married father and grandfather residing in Folsom.

Yet Richardson has never forgotten his tumultuous past and these days he has begun to pursue a new career – motivational speaking and writing. He is currently working with a literary agent to produce his first book – tentatively titled Commit to Believe – that he hopes will inspire people to make a positive difference in the world. Through his Web site (commit-to-believe.com), Richardson also spreads the word about suicide prevention. “I want to touch somebody’s heart and give hope,” he shares.

For more about Kevin "James" Richardson and other local happenings and information, be sure to pick up this month's copy of Style – Folsom, El Dorado Hills edition. Click on the Get Your Copy link on this Web site for some of our newsstand locations; click on the Subscribe link on this Web site to become a regular subscriber, or to order a copy of this issue or one of our back issues, please email  [email protected], or call 916-988-9888.