Rick and Debbie West say they never imagined they would be starting a foundation in their son’s name. The couple launched the Lincoln’s Life Mattered Foundation in October 2024, four months after losing their son Lincoln. The foundation’s mission is to help end the stigma surrounding mental health, particularly for youth and families. “Youth with their parents, parents with their children — making it more acceptable and common to talk about mental illness issues, so kids don’t have to suffer in silence,” said Rick West. “They need to feel comfortable reaching out and getting the help they need.” Since its launch, the foundation has raised nearly $200,000 and has already supported several initiatives. One of them is the Healthy Minds, Healthy Schools program, which provides funding to schools to bring in mental health educators, resources and programming. The Wests say a major focus of their work is changing how mental health is viewed and discussed. “Our belief is that mental illness shouldn’t be treated any differently than a physical illness,” said Debbie West. “If you have a toothache, you tell your parents and go to the dentist. Mental health should be the same — it should be that easy, without fear or stigma.” Lincoln would have turned 19 on Jan. 20. Debbie says that date was especially difficult, but also a reminder of why the foundation’s work matters. “The 17 and a half years that I had with him were amazing,” she said. “He was a wonderful boy, and I’m still the proudest mom on the planet. That will never change.” The couple says the response from the community has been overwhelming, with families sharing how the foundation’s work has helped open conversations about mental health. “We’ve had parents come up to us and say, ‘You’ve saved my child’s life,’” Rick said. “That tells us this work matters.”
