Why the Firearms Industry Can Lead on Suicide Prevention - Mike Sodini
4 days
4 Views
Category:
Description:
At the SHOT Show Suicide Prevention Town Hall, Walk the Talk America founder Mike Sodini shares the personal story that led him to confront one of the most difficult and avoided conversations in the firearms community: suicide.
Mike did not grow up around guns. He entered the firearms industry through his family business and, as an outsider at first, he noticed something troubling. When tragedies occurred, especially suicide, the industry stayed silent. Over time, he watched colleagues quietly disappear, only to later learn they had taken their own lives. No conversations. No acknowledgment. Just moving on.
In this talk, Mike recounts the loss of his company president and mentor, a man who openly dismissed suicide as weakness, and later died by firearm suicide himself. The story challenges common assumptions about warning signs, certainty, and control, and underscores why waiting for perfect answers is not an option.
Mike also explains how Walk the Talk America began by asking a simple but uncomfortable question:
What can we do, as an industry, without waiting for politics, mandates, or blame?
That question led to free and anonymous mental health screenings, partnerships with manufacturers, and creative solutions that respect firearm ownership while addressing real human risk. What followed surprised everyone. Gun owners thanked them. People reached out for help. Conversations started.
This talk also highlights real leadership in action, including The Armory Project and Gala True’s work to remove legal barriers so gun stores can offer temporary safe storage without fear of liability.
The message is clear:
Talking about suicide does not create it. Silence does not prevent it.
These are our people. Our customers. Our community.
And we can do something.
We want to thank @NrRQmGqwkQ/edit for having us on stage with other amazing minds working to reduce negative outcomes involving firearms.
Chapters
00:00 – Welcome and Introduction
01:05 – Growing Up Outside Gun Culture
03:10 – The Silence Around Suicide in the Industry
06:15 – Losing a Friend and Leader
10:20 – Why Warning Signs Are Not Always Obvious
13:30 – The Mandalay Bay Comparison and Daily Reality
16:05 – Early Missteps and Lessons Learned
19:10 – Free and Anonymous Mental Health Screenings
23:40 – What Gun Owners Told Us
27:00 – Leadership From Within the Community
30:10 – The Armory Project and Removing Legal Barriers
33:30 – Final Message and Call to Action
Mike did not grow up around guns. He entered the firearms industry through his family business and, as an outsider at first, he noticed something troubling. When tragedies occurred, especially suicide, the industry stayed silent. Over time, he watched colleagues quietly disappear, only to later learn they had taken their own lives. No conversations. No acknowledgment. Just moving on.
In this talk, Mike recounts the loss of his company president and mentor, a man who openly dismissed suicide as weakness, and later died by firearm suicide himself. The story challenges common assumptions about warning signs, certainty, and control, and underscores why waiting for perfect answers is not an option.
Mike also explains how Walk the Talk America began by asking a simple but uncomfortable question:
What can we do, as an industry, without waiting for politics, mandates, or blame?
That question led to free and anonymous mental health screenings, partnerships with manufacturers, and creative solutions that respect firearm ownership while addressing real human risk. What followed surprised everyone. Gun owners thanked them. People reached out for help. Conversations started.
This talk also highlights real leadership in action, including The Armory Project and Gala True’s work to remove legal barriers so gun stores can offer temporary safe storage without fear of liability.
The message is clear:
Talking about suicide does not create it. Silence does not prevent it.
These are our people. Our customers. Our community.
And we can do something.
We want to thank @NrRQmGqwkQ/edit for having us on stage with other amazing minds working to reduce negative outcomes involving firearms.
Chapters
00:00 – Welcome and Introduction
01:05 – Growing Up Outside Gun Culture
03:10 – The Silence Around Suicide in the Industry
06:15 – Losing a Friend and Leader
10:20 – Why Warning Signs Are Not Always Obvious
13:30 – The Mandalay Bay Comparison and Daily Reality
16:05 – Early Missteps and Lessons Learned
19:10 – Free and Anonymous Mental Health Screenings
23:40 – What Gun Owners Told Us
27:00 – Leadership From Within the Community
30:10 – The Armory Project and Removing Legal Barriers
33:30 – Final Message and Call to Action