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The message Gamecock great Syvelle Newton hopes to share about mental health

State - 7/22/2020

Jul. 22--Syvelle Newton's message is simple and concise. It speaks to something simple, something centered on caring for and valuing yourself.

Be you for you, shortened to "BU4U."

It's a message the former South Carolina football player tries to share while working with young people, one that draws from his own experiences and his own struggles.

"That's what it's all about, self love," Newton said. "A lot of the things that they may have experienced, out of football, right after football, going through some struggles of anxiety and depression, fighting those battles. Now I get to use it as a message to help others who may be experiencing some of the same things, maybe not even (knowing) that they are."

Newton tweeted Monday that he'd been in Alcoholics Anonymous for eight years. As he spoke about what he's doing these days, his words soon carried to friends he'd lost, friends who battled some of the same demons he did.

He played alongside O.J. Murdock and Kenny McKinley, who both committed suicide. Newton spoke in other interviews that at points he was suicidal, and he noted the level of awareness has grown when it's come to bringing these issues into the light.

"It's real," Newton said. "Depression is real. Anxiety is real. Suicide is real, and a lot of people are afraid to speak out on it. ... They just don't know that they're holding the key to help others, live a better life, a better lifestyle.

"That's why I'm very transparent about it. I'm very open."

The former Gamecock had a star-crossed career in his time in Columbia. He'd been an in-demand recruit, No. 5 dual-threat passer in the country out of Marlboro County. After committing to several far-off schools, he chose to stay close to home with South Carolina.

A spread passer in high school, he came to a Lou Holtz team that was suddenly moving from a more pass-heavy scheme back to the option. When Steve Spurrier arrived, Newton moved to wide receiver, but he ultimately had to step in at quarterback for a stretch as a senior when Blake Mitchell was suspended.

After finishing his eligibility, Newton went undrafted and spent around six years bouncing between different small pro leagues.

Now in the Columbia area, his work as a trainer and mentor lets him share his message and lessons from that dark time in his life. It's a theme that has become more prominent in recent years, notably around South Carolina football through several players.

Newton mentioned former Gamecocks tight end Hayden Hurst, who has spoken publicly in multiple settings about his struggles with depression and a suicide attempt his first year on campus. Newton also did some work with current USC quarterback Ryan Hilinski, who lost his brother to suicide and whose family has a foundation, Hilinski's Hope, dedicated to raising awareness for mental health issues of student-athletes.

"Just to have somebody like little bro (Hilinski) at our school right now, it's major," Newton said. "It's not even about his skill set on the field of play. It's just what he brings to the community. What he has brought to the state is a mission."

Their missions and their messages dovetail. Two people who played quarterback for one team, two people who knew loss, trying to bring so many more along and share uplift with those who might be struggling in silence.

"It's all about self love and being able to love yourself and fight," Newton said.

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