Minnesota dancer gets back his zest for life with some help
The most recent student survey in Minnesota shows nearly one-third of eighth, ninth and 11th graders have experienced mental health distress. That includes feeling down, hopeless or anxious. Those are all things Jack Lecy was feeling as a 12-year-old in middle school.
Lecy said he feels his best is on the dance floor. Whether it's practicing in his home studio or on a stage competing.
"I feel like it was natural, almost like I was meant to be a dancer," Lecy said.
He's not shy about his love of dance. As a 12-year-old he was on a high school team and competing with a dance studio.
"I know boys dancing leads to a lot of bullying, and that's like where the bullying comes in, but I've learned over time that they just have nothing better to do, because hurt people, hurt people," said Lecy. "So I guess the bullying at that time played a big role, but also that much stress that I was under really had a toll on me."
Lecy said the combination was overwhelming. He said his anxiety spiked, taking a serious toll on his mental health.
"I'd wake up and I just would not get out of bed. I wouldn't even want to go on a walk down my driveway," said Jack. "Like I just felt like sometimes when it got really worse, it's like, I left this world and it's just like, in a whole other place."
Jessie, Lecy's mom, said it was hard for their family to watch his spark fade.
"There wasn't a major decline. It was seriously, he was fine, and then just snapped," said Jessie. "I feel like you kind of flail in a situation like that, where we're like, 'Okay, what do I do? Who do I call? Like, where do you get in?'"
When she broke down to a friend, she learned about the . A unique place bringing together researchers, clinicians and community partners under one roof to provide personalized compassionate care to foster healthy brain function.
Lecy said the treatment there felt different than a traditional hospital.
"It was like this living room. Was just couches, and then my doctor, psychologist, sitting on a computer at her own little desk, and it was just it felt way different than I expected, but it felt way better, and I felt like more comfortable, and that, like I instantly clicked," Lecy said.
Lecy was out of school for more than six weeks. During that time, he learned ways to stay in the moment and how to manage his feelings.
"Like learning how to calm myself down from these big situations, learning how to like, extract myself if I'm feeling very overwhelmed," Lecy said.
"We could see Jack come back to life in short order. We needed to piece him back together, and we needed somebody's help to be able to do that," said Jessie. "You feel helpless. We were learning as much as Jack was learning how to deal with this, Middle School is awful. And I think a lot of people experience this in different ways, but the tools that he learned, and we learned are lifelong tools."
Today, Lecy's light is shining bright. Jessie says she proudly watches him be a support for other kids going through something big or small.
"He's really been a huge advocate for wellness and anxiety and normalizing it, and saying, you got this here, you know. And people listen to him because it's fun to be around," Jessie said.
Lecy wants people to know there is a path to a better tomorrow.
"If you have the feeling that, like this is just a phase, this is only going on for a little bit, you're strong enough to get through that," Lecy said.
Lecy and his family still have virtual appointments.
Since opening less than 4 years ago, Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain has seen more than 20,000 kids and young adults for things like autism, depression and anxiety.
You can support the work at MIDB and see Jack strut his stuff down the runway. The Great Minds Couture for Kids fashion show fundraiser is on July 17. Look for tickets and learn more about the institutes work .
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress, get help from the by calling or texting 988. Trained crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day to talk about anything.
