Pictured: Baby Shuli with her father, Michael
Every time that Shuli Baram-Guzman steps into the ring, she dedicates every match to her father, Michael David Baram – honoring his memory and raising awareness about suicide prevention.
In 2014, Shuli’s father died by suicide just weeks before she gave birth to her son. A lifelong athlete and motorcycle enthusiast, Michael’s struggles with depression intensified after an injury left him incapacitated. As a suicide survivor herself, the devastating loss sent Shuli into her own emotional turmoil.
Despite her deep sadness, she tucked away her grief. At the time of her father’s death, she felt like she couldn’t allow herself to fully feel and process the reality of the situation, due to possible effects on her unborn baby.
As a dedicated Muay Thai coach and competitor, Shuli transmuted her pain into her sport. “I was in the bargaining stage for three or four years. Muay Thai–a martial art and full-contact combat sport–really helped me to process and just let go.”
In preparing for her most recent competition, Shuli reached out to Didi Hirsch–offering tickets to survivors of suicide loss. Through this partnership, Shuli created a space where survivors and supporters could come together and know they’re not alone.
“I was overwhelmed by the response and support from Didi Hirsch and the community,” she shared. “Organizations like Didi Hirsch give a safe space for people to feel the loneliness together – the space to be honest with our individual experiences and validated for the uniqueness of them.”
For those who have lost someone to suicide, she offers a message of hope: “When it comes to unexpected deaths, especially suicide, a strategy worth trying is to normalize the story. Normalizing the loss helps in the healing process.”
And for those who have struggled with their own thoughts of suicide: “I’m SO glad you’re still here.”
