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Students Learn Valuable Mental Health Tips During “The Magic of Hope” Assembly

On Friday, January 17, 2025, Magician and Keynote Speaker Anthony Grupido visited Catholic Central to perform a magic show while discussing the importance of mental health awareness, resiliency, and suicide prevention.  

“Anthony Grupido is a young man originally from the metro Detroit area who adeptly combines his skill as a magician and performer with his story of mental health struggles (including suicidality) and seeking help. We had feedback from others in the area that his assemblies are very engaging,” stated Wellness Counselor, Jodi Siberski. 

On his website, Grupido shares a deeply personal journey of overcoming bullying, self-harm, and a traumatic injury during high school, which led to severe mental health struggles and multiple suicide attempts. After a turning point, where he vowed never to return to that dark place, he began using his experiences and magic performances to raise awareness about mental health, suicide prevention, and coping strategies.

At 18, he started working with Common Ground, a crisis and resource center, sharing his story across Michigan. His mentor, Tony Rothschild, encouraged him to incorporate magic into his presentations, which became a hallmark of his work. Tragically, Tony passed away, but his legacy and impact on the speaker's work continue to shape his mission.

Now, at 29, Grupido has traveled the world, presenting at schools, military bases, and with organizations like The Children’s Hospital and US Army. He educates people on coping with anxiety, depression, and trauma. Additionally, he's had the opportunity to open for major entertainers, proving that even after reaching rock bottom, dreams can still come true.

During the assembly, Grupido shared his personal experiences with mental health challenges, including bullying, stress, family expectations, and the pressure of societal standards. He emphasized the importance of having someone you trust to help you navigate uncomfortable situations, whether it’s a parent, relative, or close friend, without fear of judgment.

Grupido reflected on how life events, both good and bad, don’t define success—our responses to them do. He also discussed the unhealthy relationship many individuals, particularly teenagers, have with social media, citing alarming suicide rate increases among young girls between 2009-2016. He shared his own strategies for managing technology use, like setting two alarms in the morning to allow quiet time before engaging with his phone, and avoiding screens before bed to protect mental health.

Through his magic performance, which included tricks like pulling bottles from thin air and escape acts, Grupido integrated his personal struggles with family expectations, self-harm, substance abuse, and the importance of speaking to the right people for support. He stressed that, “just because somebody loves you doesn’t mean they have good advice for you,” highlighting the need for understanding and supportive conversations.

Offering advice on emotional resilience, he encouraged taking pauses before reacting, letting go of small issues, and moving forward despite difficulties. His final words were a call for kindness: “Use your words to speak kindness into creation, be kind to others and be kind to yourself.” He reminded his audience, “You are not just high schoolers, you are the future,” urging them to support those struggling with mental health and to speak up when necessary.

Friday was also a spirit day, raising $2,805 that will go to Catholic Charities USA in support of the wildfire disaster in California. For more insight, you can connect with Anthony Grupido on social media (@anthonygrupido). Learn more about "The Magic of Hope" at https://themagicofhope.com/.

 

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