13 for 13: Thirteen Dollars, One Legacy, Countless Conversations
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13 for 13: Thirteen Dollars, One Legacy, Countless Conversations
Sometimes something very small can carry tremendous meaning.
For our family, one of those things is the number 13.
Our son Gordon loved Number 13. He wore it proudly during his high school and college lacrosse days, and over time it became part of who he was.
Today, Gordon's No. 13 means something even greater to Mary Jo and me.
It represents his life.
His legacy.
His love of lacrosse.
His desire to help people.
And the message we continue to carry forward through the Gordon J. Corsetti Mental Agility Foundation:
Take Care of Your Crew.
That is why we created 13 for 13 last year when we surpassed our goal of $13,000 and received generous donations from around the globe totally almost $ 23,000.
The idea is intentionally simple:
Give $13 in honor of Gordon's No. 13 and help us continue the work he started.
What Can $13 Really Do?
Someone might reasonably ask:
What difference can thirteen dollars make?
By itself, maybe it doesn't seem like much.
But put hundreds of $13 gifts together and something happens.
A conversation gets started.
A student learns that asking for help is a sign of courage.
A coach learns how to recognize when one of his players may be struggling.
An official realizes that the person standing beside him may need someone to check in.
A parent begins a conversation with a son or daughter.
A young person hears four important words:
“You are not alone.”
That is how change begins.
One conversation at a time.
One person at a time.
Sometimes, $13 at a time.
Gordon's Number Has Become a Mission
When we began the 13 for 13 campaign, we established a goal of raising $13,000 to support Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention.
But this campaign was never really about reaching a number on a fundraising thermometer.
It is about what that money allows us to do.
Since losing Gordon, I have had the privilege of meeting extraordinary people and organizations working every day to help others.
The Foundation has supported organizations involved in mental health awareness, suicide prevention, counseling, youth programs, athletics, community outreach, disaster relief, and programs designed to create connection and belonging.
We have traveled to schools.
We have spoken with coaches.
We have talked with athletes.
We have worked with officials.
We have met with mental health professionals.
We have participated in suicide-prevention programs.
We have brought organizations together that might otherwise never have met.
And sometimes we simply sit with people who understand grief because they are living it themselves.
Every one of those experiences reminds me why this work matters.
Take Care of Your Crew
Gordon gave us many things to think about, but perhaps nothing has stayed with me more than these five words:
Take Care of Your Crew.
Your crew doesn't have to be a lacrosse team.
Your crew is your family.
Your coworkers.
Your classmates.
Your neighbors.
Your friends.
Your coaching staff.
Your officiating crew.
Your teammates.
Your crew is simply the people around you and people you will meet in the future.
Taking care of them doesn't require a psychology degree.
It begins with paying attention.
Who has become unusually quiet?
Who hasn't been around lately?
Who seems different?
Who keeps saying, “I'm fine,” when something tells you they aren't?
Maybe you ask again:
“No, really. How are you doing?”
And then you do something increasingly difficult in today's world.
You listen.
The Five Pillars
Much of our Foundation's work centers around five areas that can help us build Mental Agility:
Faith: Having something bigger then you that helps you in good times and bad.
Purpose:
Having something meaningful that gives us a reason to get up in the morning.
Structure:
Creating healthy routines and habits that provide stability when life becomes difficult.
Social Engagement:
Building genuine relationships and resisting the isolation and loneliness that can become so dangerous.
Compassion:
Recognizing that everyone we meet may be carrying something we cannot see.
These aren't complicated ideas. But living them intentionally can change lives.
The Power of a Crew
One of the reasons I continue to believe so strongly in sports, and particularly lacrosse, is that a good team naturally provides many of these things.
Purpose.
Structure.
Relationships.
Accountability.
Belonging.
Someone notices when you don't show up.
Someone needs you.
Someone has your back.
And eventually you learn that being part of a team means having someone else's back too. That lesson shouldn't end when the game ends. We should carry it into our families, workplaces, schools, and communities.
More Than a Donation
So when you give $13 to Gordon's Mental Agility Foundation, I hope you understand that we see it as much more than a donation.
It is a statement.
It says:
Mental wellness matters.
Suicide prevention matters.
Connection matters.
People matter.
And Gordon's life matters.
Your $13 joins someone else's $13.
Then another.
Then another.
And eventually hundreds of small acts of generosity become something much larger.
They become education.
They become outreach.
They become conversations.
They become hope.
Gordon's Jersey
Gordon's No. 13 jersey remains incredibly meaningful to me as I see everyday hanging in my office.
When I see that number, I don't simply see a lacrosse jersey.
I see my son.
I see his smile.
I hear his voice.
I remember his intellect and curiosity.
I remember how deeply he thought about life.
And yes, I remember the pain he carried.
But I also remember the people he helped.
That is the part of his story we intend to continue.
We cannot change what happened on December 2, 2022.
But we can decide what we do today.
We can talk.
We can listen.
We can educate.
We can encourage.
We can check on somebody.
We can help someone find professional support.
We can take care of our crew.
Will You Join Us?
Our request is simple.
Give $13.
Give it in honor of Gordon.
Give it in honor of someone you love.
Give it for someone who is struggling.
Give it for someone we've lost.
Give it because you believe that mental wellness deserves the same attention we give physical health.
And after you make that $13 gift, I would ask you to do one more thing.
Reach out to someone.
Send the text.
Make the phone call.
Invite someone to lunch.
Ask the second question.
Listen.
Your $13 helps our Foundation continue the work.
Your conversation may help someone continue theirs.
That's what 13 for 13 is really about.
One number.
One son.
One legacy.
One conversation at a time.
Take Care of Your Crew.
Love MJ and Coach Lou
Please consider donating to the Gordon J. Corsetti Mental Agility Foundation to help us keep Gordon’s legacy alive.
Mental Agility Donation (Pay Pal)
ZEFFY Donation Option
Please consider donating to the Gordon J. Corsetti Mental Agility Foundation to help us keep Gordon’s legacy alive.
Call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for help. In an emergency, please call 911.
If you or someone you know is seeking help for mental health concerns, visit the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) website, or call 1-800-950-NAMI(6264).
For confidential treatment referrals, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website, or call the National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP(4357).
Call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for help. In an emergency, please call 911.
If you or someone you know is seeking help for mental health concerns, visit the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) website, or call 1-800-950-NAMI(6264).
For confidential treatment referrals, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) website, or call the National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP(4357).
