19 SEPTEMBER 2025 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Bringing Suicide Prevention Out of the Shadows Adapted from Information by Acker Drill Co. and Terra Testing, Inc. September is National Suicide Prevention Month - a time to raise awareness of a crisis which can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, background, or profession. Acker Drill Co. and Terra Testing, Inc. teamed up to design an Acker Rebel XL to promote suicide awareness. When Eric Hajek, President of Terra Testing informed Joseph “JJ” Mehalick II, Director of Drilling Operations with Terra Testing he would be responsible for designing the new Acker Rebel XL rig, he was excited about the task. Here is his story: After I was told about the rig and responsibilities, I contacted the driller who would be operating the rig to see if he wanted anything particular on the rig and what color he would like. We discussed how he would like the rig set up and then requested that the rig colors would be purple and teal. I laughed and asked again, “What color would you like?” He responded, “Purple and teal. They are the colors for suicide awareness.” At that moment, I was speechless. I completely understood why he chose those colors. The young driller that I was talking with had tragically lost his father to suicide a few years ago when he was only 18 years old. From this moment forward, the drill rig became a personal project for me. There is a stigma around the topic of suicide. It is a very difficult topic to discuss. We must work through the difficulty to talk about why people feel they have no other option. Most people have been affected by suicide in some way or another. Whether a friend, a coworker, or family member that has attempted suicide or succeeded in their suicide attempt. Most people think that suicide is a mental illness. Suicide is not the illness. It is a means to another mental health struggle. It is a tragedy resulting from intense pain. Suicide can be prevented. Education is the key. We need to talk to young and old people about mental health. We need to recognize the warning signs, the cries for help whether they be silent or loud, the coping mechanisms, and the root causes. The root causes are often the result of untreated mental health illnesses, trauma, social isolation, or systemic issues like poverty, discrimination, or addiction. Access to mental health care needs to be a priority. We need to create spaces where people feel safe talking about their struggles and their thoughts. Suicide prevention needs to be brought out of the shadows. It is the responsibility of all of us. Don’t be afraid to ask a friend, a loved one, or even a stranger if everything is OK when it appears that something is wrong. Changing how we talk about mental illness and the social stigma of it, we can create a culture where people feel supported in finding help before they reach the “end,” so that nobody feels alone and helpless - that suicide seems like the only option. Our words, our actions, our willingness to listen and support, all matter. Together, we can change the conversation around suicide and in doing so, we can save lives. If you or somebody you know are considering suicide, please call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) Joseph Accardi, Joseph Rochinski, Robert Lepre, and Wayne Wise took a moment at the 2025 South Atlantic JUBILEE Event to pose with the Acker Rebel XL designed by Terra Testing. WWDR photos.
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