Dear Ellen DeGeneres,

I'll be in The Ellen Show's audience on October 28th and these are just a few reasons why I would love to share my story with Ellen.

1. You taught me the importance of kindness

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High school can be a scary place but when I was questioning my sexuality, it was down right terrifying. I started watching your show in high school as a way to forget about my day at school. Your show gave me an hour each day to forget about all the bad and just laugh.

2. Since I've started watching, I have wanted to thank you.

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In 2010, there was an episode where you address the recent teen suicides that had been taking place and offered words of support and hope to those watching. To this day, that video is still in my bookmarks.

3. Even when my sister moved away, we continued to watch together.

Biz Rohlwing / Via facebook.com

After my sister moved out the winter of 2012, our dynamics changed. But one thing we were always able to relate to was what happened on your show. We would call each other just to talk about segments.

4. My sister got us tickets to your show for my graduation.

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Biz knew how much you mean to me and how much I look up to you. She made a YouTube video on how you are my idol in the hopes of getting me to meet you.

5. I never made it out to Burbank though.

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The last time I talked to my sister, we were talking about where we wanted to go when I was out visiting her in Burbank. She passed away two days later.

6. My sister was suffering. My family had no idea.

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It turns out that my sister was struggling with mental health issues. We had no family out in California and we hadn't seen her in five months.

7. We were broken, but we turned our sadness into action.

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As much as it hurts my family to admit it, Biz's death could have been prevented. With proper mental health care, depression and anxiety can be alleviated. My family, knowing that, decided to take action. My parents donated all of the memorial donations to a suicide prevention nonprofit and I started speaking out more.

8. I move forward each day with my sister in my heart.

Nothing I do will ever get my sister back, but if I am able to prevent one person from ending their life or one family from receiving that phone call by sharing my story, I will share it till I have no voice.

9. Because life is too precious to be anything but happy and healthy.

Do I still have my rough days? Of course. But I know with each step I take and every conversation I have, I move one step closer to helping accomplish a goal that many carry: to live in a world without suicide.

10. But even if I don't get to meet you, I just want to say thank you.

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You have inspired me to take the world we are given and turn it into something better. The last thing my sister wrote to me was to never give up on my dreams and I plan following through with what she said. I hope to meet you soon, Ellen!

Love,

Brandon