A Valencia High School graduate and Air Force veteran whose family lives in Santa Clarita recently released a short film to draw attention to the lesser thought-of details when it comes to suicide.

Carolyn Colley was invited by the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) to create a short film about suicide awareness.

Alan Colley at Carolyn Colley’s graduation from law school. Photo courtesy of the Colleys.

“The film takes it from a different perspective and focuses on those left behind,” Colley said.

Throughout the film, the main character is shown participating in everyday life activities, such as doing dishes and eating dinner. The film then shows the same scenes, only this time without the main character.

“We were trying to make it thought-provoking,” Colley said. “It’s not just the big things they’re missing, it’s all the little things too.”

The project was personal for Colley, who lost two brothers, both of whom were combat veterans.

“It was really difficult, especially certain scenes,” Colley said. “There’s one where the (father) is building a fire with his son, and then it shows the son without him. You can just see how overcome with emotions he is. It really did bring me to tears.”

Colley, who joined the Air Force shortly after graduating from Valencia High School in 2001, got involved with the project after taking part in a film workshop for post-9/11 veterans called the Patton Veterans Project.

“Since then, I’ve been involved both as a survivor, and then later I transitioned into a mentor position,” Colley said.

Throughout the project, Colley worked with two other veterans, and the three became close friends.

“All of us worked together to come together,” Colley said. “We went through the deep trenches of such an emotional subject together.”

After the video debuted, Colley received multiple emails from people across the country, thanking her for making the film and sharing their experiences.

“One person wrote to me, and said, ‘You saved me,’” Colley said, choking up slightly as she spoke. “It was intense.”

Looking back, Colley found the project to be healing not only for others, but for herself as well.

“It was one of the greatest experiences I ever had,” Colley said. “It was a real interesting way to heal by making that video. If it impacts any one person in a positive way, then it makes me feel like I honored my brothers, and they’d be proud of me.”

To watch Colley’s short film, click here.

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