The average annual suicide count among New Jersey residents is about 740, according to nj.gov, and there are about twice as many suicides as homicides in the state. Jersey rocker Eddie Testa dealt with the suicide of his friend John C Minutillo by putting his feelings into a song called "Say A Prayer" that others can relate to as well.
"It was inspired by my friend John C Minutillo, who I dedicated it to," says Testa. Minutillo took his own life on Sept 2. "The words were from the perspective of the person who is contemplating suicide," says Testa.
"These words were keywords that people I personally knew who committed suicide said, and I didn't pick up on until afterward." The video for "Say a Prayer" is filled with a cross-section of celebrities such as Anthony Bourdain, Robin Williams, Chester Bennington, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Chris Cornell, Kurt Cobain, Michael Hutchence, actor Lee Thompson Young as well as Dan Eriksen and kids who took their own lives including Jon Carmichael, Adriana Kuch, and Seven Bridges as the result of being bullied. "I chose celebrity pictures to bring more awareness and the other unknown, but known now, were Jersey people who committed suicide at such young ages from depression, loneliness, and some from bullying," says Testa.
"I would always try to console or comfort someone in distress, but a lot of times, you just have to listen to what someone is saying. Most times, we never know who's going through tough times unless they reach out., It's .