For those who knew Allison Goldstein, there was no doubt that she had a wonderful life. She had just given birth to her first daughter, Ainslee, and she had a beautiful marriage that was thriving despite the constant life changes that come with having a spouse in the military.
“She was incredibly witty and had an amazing ability to make everyone around her feel welcome, included, and loved,” her best friend Julie Waterfield writes. “I knew we would be lifelong friends.”
Julie says Allison was more than a friend, but also a role model, a confidant and a “beautiful ray of sunshine.” Their friendship meant the world to her.
I wanted to be just like her. She was adorable, healthy, smart, funny, loyal, supportive, and oh so sweet. Every time she greeted me with my giant belly, she said, “You look beautiful!” Of course I didn’t think so when I looked in the mirror, but she made me feel so good. Allison was a great friend. She handled pregnancy and motherhood beautifully…on the outside.”
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But Allison was suffering in silence — being destroyed from the inside-out by the lies and misery of postpartum depression. It’s the silent killer that led Allison to write a several-page-long goodbye email before checking her [4]-month-old daughter into daycare and driving herself to an abandoned dirt road where she took her own life.
“My beautiful would-be life-long friend lost her hidden battle with Postpartum depression on June 28th, 2016. She left behind a loving husband, a precious 4.5 month-old baby girl, and countless family and friends who adored her.”
In her email, Allison apologized to her loved ones saying, “I’m so sorry that I didn’t know how to describe this pain and seek help.”
