“It summed up how she felt about herself at the time,” says Tworkowski. “The sense of regret and failure…she didn’t believe she could live a different life.”
It was an experience that would change the course of his life. Within six months of meeting Renee in February 2006, Jamie quit his job at Hurley and founded To Write Love On Her Arms—TWLOHA—a charity specifically geared toward people struggling with depression, addiction and self-abuse issues. His bosses at Hurley, while sad to see him go, were 100 percent on board with Tworkowski’s vision.
“Bob Hurley was super understanding and super supportive at a time where there were people who thought I was crazy,” says Tworkowski, whose work with TWLOHA just earned him an MTV Woodie award nomination. (He is up against Alicia Keys, Wyclef Jean, Ra Ra Riot and John Legend among others--click here to vote for him).
Likewise, Jamie’s friends in the bands Switchfoot and Anberlin were also quick to support their friend’s mission, wearing TWLOHA t-shirts on stage to bring attention to the cause. Music lovers responded—in just a few years, the charity has evolved from Jamie selling TWLOHA tees at Warped to a fully functioning non-profit with eight full-time staff, and five full-time volunteer interns. Together, they have responded to more than 100,000 messages and calls for help from people all over America. With suicide the third leading cause of death among 18-24 years olds today, it’s likely that TWLOHA has saved more than a few lives, and given hope to many more.
“So many people live alone when it comes to the stuff that hurts,” says Tworkowski, who has himself battled depression over the years. “They feel it is stuff they can’t talk about. Well, we say ‘maybe this is part of being human, and we can all relate’. We’re inviting to believe that life is worth living and that it's possible to get help when we need it.”
And what of Renee, the teenager who felt life was so hopeless she scrawled her self-hatred on her body with a blade? She celebrated three years of sobriety just a few months ago, and finally views the world as a place she wants to live in. “This is something that she will be fighting for the rest of her life,” says Tworkowski. “But she knows she’s not alone—and that’s important.”—Caroline Ryder/Against The Grain
Don't forget: vote for Jamie and TWLOHA for this year's MTV Woodie Award right here.
