Sister Of Bergen Girl Who Took Her Own Life To Speak In Ramsey

RAMSEY, NJ — The sister of a former Bergen County track star who took her own life will speak at Ramsey High School.

Carli Bushoven is the older sister of Madison Holleran, a former Bergen County track star who took her own life in 2014 while a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania.

Bushoven will share Holleran's story and the impact it has had on her and her family to try and inspire others to speak out about mental health and help end the stigma associated with it, Ramsey school officials said.

The Madison Holleran Foundation works to prevent suicides and help people who are experiencing a crisis. The foundation is especially focused on preparing high school seniors and college freshmen who transitioning to a new phase in their lives. Bushoven is the foundation's communications director.

Holleran attended Northern Highlands Regional High School and lived in Allendale. She took her own life by jumping off a building while a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania. Her legacy lives on in the Madison Holleran Suicide Prevention Act, which Governor Christie signed into law in 2016. The law requires that all New Jersey colleges provide students with 24-hour access to health care professionals with mental health training with the hope of preventing students from attempting suicide.

Bushoven's talk will be in the Ramsey High School auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 13.

Related: More NJ Teens Are Committing Suicide: Why It's Happening And What Can Be Done

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com