Jake’s story: A mother’s mission to share her son’s story and help other young people

Ask any parent who has lost a child, and they’ll tell you the pain is indescribable. Now, add to that, the child takes his own life.

That’s the reality for one Fort Myers mother. Now that mom is working to turn her pain into purpose with the hope of saving lives.

“I’m the mother of two sons, Luke, age 20 – a thriving junior in college, and Jake, age 23 – now, my heavenly Angel,” said an emotional Denise Pfeiffer.

Pfeiffer sat in her living room and read WINK News Anchor Lindsey Sablan a letter about her son Jake.

“The day I took him home, he said to me, ‘I will never forget this. I’m just a 20 year old guy who asked for help. I was Baker Acted and treated like a criminal. I just want my story to be told,'” read the mother of two.

Less than six days after being discharged from an inpatient facility, Jake took his own life.

“He didn’t want to be a burden. He said, ‘I’m 20 years old. I shouldn’t have to have my mom help me,'” she added.

Jake grew up like most of us. Pictures provide a window into his life. But behind the glimpses of joy were an explosion of anxiety.

“He would say, I feel like my heart’s beating out of my chest,” recalled Pfeiffer.

After that first anxiety attack, she tried to get Jake into a therapist, but it was a four-to-six month wait. Eventually he got on anti-anxiety meds right as he was finishing high school.

“That morning of graduation,” she recalled, “I had decorated his door with streamers and balloons, and couldn’t wait for him to walk out and see it. And he walked in the bathroom and threw up.”

The anxiety peaked and then Jake turned 18. That’s when the medical world deemed him responsible for his own care.

“That’s where the real challenge started for us. I made the appointments. Now he had to make those appointments,” Pfeiffer commented, “And, you know, he’s asking me for help, because he can’t do it.”

The next couple of years were a series of ups and downs. Doctors diagnosed Jake with bipolar disorder. He spent time at an in-patient facility, got on more medications, and often went to Lakes Park to get exercise.

I got work to do for him. Denise Pfeiffer, Mom

In another moment of crisis, Denise had to take him to the emergency room. While there, he made comments about hurting himself and was Baker Acted, which is a mandatory hold for up to three days if a person’s deemed a danger to themselves or someone else.

“I saw all life leave him. I knew I knew that this was gonna be even harder for him to come back from because he did nothing wrong.

Denise believes the Baker Act killed her son and wants it changed.

• RELATED: Jake’s story: What needs to change to protect other young people?

“If they knew I had stopped working to care for him. If they knew what his regimen was before and what he was doing to try to help himself and what his family and life was really like,” she lamented, “I totally believe it would have been a different outcome.”

There are hundreds of young people in our community like Jake, but the latest stats show a promising trend.

“Over the last year from 2022 to 2023, we’ve actually seen a 25% decrease in that volume coming into our emergency department,” stated Alyssa Bostwick, Chief Nurse at Golisano Children’s Hospital. “Prior to that, ’20 to 2021, during the pandemic, we were at a 235% increase. We had another 20% after that, and another 10% after that.”

But Denise wonders if Baker Acts are the best way to treat kids in crisis.

“Unfortunately, right now, as that law stands, there is not flexibility in negotiating that once that decision has been made,” answered Bostwick. “The risk to lifting a Baker Act or not placing the Baker Act is that we let a child go home, who then inflict harm on themselves.”

A bench at Lakes Park is Denise’s daily reminder to fight. It’s in honor of Jake and has a powerful message–Never mediocre. Your purpose lives on.

“I think about what Jake went through. I still want to fight for him and everyone else because he was so amazing. I know I’ll see him again. That I know. But I got work to do for him.”

Forever loved. Never forgotten.

There are changes coming to the Baker Act. The new Live Healthy Act requires a more comprehensive discharge plan and makes sure the courts have more flexibility to base treatment plans off individual needs–something could have helped Jake. It takes effect in July.

Mental health resources to help children