Hilinski's Hope Foundation Gives Presentation to CMS Student-Athletes

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Mark and Kym Hilinski, former Claremont natives and founders of the Hilinski's Hope Foundation, gave a special presentation to CMS staff and student-athletes on Tuesday evening, in which hundreds of members of the CMS Athletics family attended via Zoom.

Mark and Kym Hilinski started the Hilinski's Hope Foundation in memory of their son Tyler, who played youth football in Claremont and was a quarterback for nearby Upland High School. Tyler went on to play quarterback for Washington State, coming off the bench to lead a dramatic comeback in a win over Boise State in September of 2017 that saw him carried off the field in the ensiung celebration. Hilinski started the Holiday Bowl against Michigan State in December of 2017, completing 39-of-50 passes in a Washington State defeat, and he was poised to take over as the program's starting quarterback in 2018 as a junior. However, just weeks after the Holiday Bowl, on Jan. 16, 2018, Tyler died by suicide, succumbing to a mental illness that went undetected. 

Hilinski's Hope Foundation (also referred to as H3H in memory of the No. 3 Tyler wore at Washington State) was formed to promote awareness and education of mental health and wellness for student-athletes. The Foundation's mission is to educate, advocate, and eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness, while funding programs that provide student-athletes with the tools and resources that support their mental health and wellness. H3H helps colleges and universities save lives, eliminate stigma, and scale mental wellness programs for student-athletes by sharing Tyler's story, connecting students with mental health resources, and assisting universities to institutionalize best practices. 

Claremont McKenna is one of 27 collegiate institutions from across the country that have already partnered with Hilinski's Hope, along with the NCAA, the ACC, the Big East, and the Atlantic East Conferences, in just the two years since the foundation was started. That number continues to grow exponetially as the foundation's message spreads in Tyler's memory. 

To learn more about Hilinski's Hope and find out ways that you can help with the foundation's mission to eliminate the stigma of mental illness, visit their website at the link below. 

Hilinski's Hope