To: Die Before You Die

I would eventually return to the south and become an attorney in Atlanta, Georgia. However, like most of my siblings, I suffer from a mental
illness that had long lurked within the shadows of my life, and which I had unknowingly been able to cope with for years. Nevertheless, my
illness would eventually overtake me, and destroy everything that I had been able to accomplish, and nearly take my life.

I am presently learning to cope with my illness in hopes of returning to my life as an attorney some day. As part of my efforts to understand
what I experienced, I began writing about it, and my writings evolved into the book you’re holding.

It is my hope that my story will give you a direct insight into my battles with bi-polar and severe depression, and leave you with a better
understanding of mental illness, and those afflicted by it.

This is my story, and although I have changed the names of a few of the individuals to protect their privacy, it is a true and accurate account
of my experiences.