CBS Sunday Morning
Meghan Markle is opening up about the suicidal thoughts that have plagued her like never before — and how they have inspired her to do what she can to help family and friends of others who may be considering suicide.
upon “CBS News Sunday Morning” Markle and Prince Harry spoke with Jane Pauley about the launch of the Archewell Foundation. Parent NetworkIt aims to support parents of children affected by cyberbullying, including parents who have lost a child to suicide.
After listening to the stories of parents who had suffered unimaginable loss, Pauley gently pointed out that the issue held a special connection for Markle, who told Oprah Winfrey in an interview several years ago that she “didn’t want to be alive anymore.”
“You’ve both suffered personally,” Pauley said in an interview, noting the couple’s discomfort.
Megan agreed that the question was appropriate.
“I believe that no matter what level of pain or trauma we’ve experienced, part of our healing journey, and certainly in my case, part of the healing journey, is being able to really talk openly about it,” Markle said.
She continued, “I barely scratch the surface of what I’ve been through, but I don’t want people to feel that way, or make plans for me, or not believe me. So if sharing what I’ve been through can help someone, or encourage anyone in someone’s life to truly care about them from the bottom of their heart, rather than just assume they’re OK because they look good on the outside, then it will be worth it. I’ll take a hit for that.”
The parent network will now meet remotely with the aim of offering support to survivors and raising awareness to save lives.
“I think you have to start somewhere,” Markle said of the small group. “Look at it through the lens of, ‘What if this was my daughter? What if this was my son?’ If you look at it through the lens of being a parent, there’s no other way to do it than to try to find a solution.”