I THRIVE
&
The Kintsukuroi Project
...Honoring Michelle Marie Curtis...
Michelle Marie Curtis is the mother of Heather Rochelle Curtis MD, I THRIVE's creator, and her five siblings.
Michelle has been preceded in passing by her husband Jeffery Lynn Curtis.
Jeff died by suicide in June 2002.
Michelle and I THRIVE believe that mental health services are a vital part of primary care, community, and global wellbeing.
We are advocates for Suicide Prevention, Support, and Awareness.
Check out the captions below to learn a little more about Michelle, her husband Jeff, and their life together.
Sister and Daughter
Michelle was the third of eight children to Don and Luaina Brown. She is described by I THRIVE's grandmother Luaina as a 'model child,' happy, and tidy.
She grew up assisting her mother in the home.
Her neighbor's lovingly called her 'mommy's little helper,' commenting on Michelle's efforts to assist her mother (pictured together on right) to care for her brothers and sisters as well as the home.
Raised in Bountiful, Utah, Michelle was known for her bright smile, outgoing attitude, and her active role in her LDS church choir. She was also known for her musical talents and positive attitude, her kindness and compassion, as well as her joy and excitement for life.
Michelle was described as a tease with her brothers, making blocks to the rows they'd make in the mud. They once hid a mud hole in the middle of the track they were building and Michelle walked right into it, falling right in. This is a fond memory of her older brother David.
Michelle always earned top scores in school and was described as an active and ambitious young person.
She enjoyed learning and dreamed of a career as a singer song-writer and as a performer.
Music and Memories
In high school Michelle enjoyed serving as a Bountiful High School drill team member. She worked tables and earned herself a reputation as a top waitress at several local Utah restaurants.
Michelle competed in the Miss Utah pageant where she shared her love of music and where she showcased her voice and musical gifts during the talent competition.
Michelle loved to play the guitar and to write and sing music. This talent was shared with Michelle's friends and family who share fond memories of watching Michelle perform.
As a young person Michelle worked as a waitress, a model, and as a magician's assistant before meeting the love of her life and marrying her partner Jeffery Lynn Curtis in 1985.
After her marriage, Michelle continued to share her talent at church as well as at family weddings and events in the early years of her children's lives. Her gift remains a cherished and enjoyed memory by her family.
Wife and Mother
Michelle married Jeffery Lynn Curtis in 1985 and together they bore and raised six children (her two eldest pictured here).
Michelle is a dedicated wife and mother.
She worked hard to provide care for her six children despite her battles with severe and chronic relapsing medical illness.
Michelle loves childrearing and homemaking.
During her early years as a mother, she also ran a childcare service out of her home.
After the birth of her fourth and fifth children (twin boys), Michelle began to transition to dedicating her attention to the primary focus of serving as wife and mother for her large family.
In total, Michelle bore and raised six beautiful children, each with a full schedule of activities from soccer, gymnastics, and crafts, to track, dance, student body council and office, art classes, and of course to her oldest three children's favorite childhood weekend activity, rollerblading at the local skating rink.
Michelle's children share many happy memories of cherished family parties planned by Michelle and her husband Jeff and of riding in the car with Michelle to their various adventures, classes, and competitions while growing up.
In Remembrance
On June 3, 2002 Michelle learned that her husband of 18 years and the father of her six children had completed suicide. Since witnessing the decline of her husband Jeff's mental health and his subsequent decompensation into severe mental illness, depression, and aggressive behaviors during the final years of his life, Michelle has struggled with complex bereavement, grief, and trauma.
Post her husband Jeff's death by suicide in 2002, Michelle went through a vulnerable period in her chronic, relapsing medical illness.
Michelle's illness and vulnerable state made her a target for financial abuse and domestic violence for a number of years before she returned safely to the care of her family.
Michelle now resides in Idaho in a home near the farm owned by her parents Don and Luaina Brown. She lives with two of her children and their two family dogs and enjoys writing, reading, and watching movies and documentaries in her spare time.
Michelle, her children, and her family stand as a testament to the bonds of family and the strength of love to overcome even the most difficult circumstances and experiences.
I THRIVE, Michelle, and her family support mental health awareness, domestic violence awareness and Suicide Prevention, Support, and Awareness.
Michelle and I THRIVE also wish to remind women and all victims of abuse or domestic violence that
You Are Never Alone.
If you or someone you know is suffering from mental illness or is a victim of domestic violence, emotional, or sexual abuse, remember that there is hope.
Check out our sex assault survivor resources, our Domestic Violence Resources, and our mental illness support resources under the 'Recovery' and 'Offerings' tabs at the top of the page.
If you or someone you know is an active victim of abuse,
please seek help.
Consider reporting to your nearest domestic violence center, rape crisis center, emergency department, or healthcare provider's office for evaluation, referrals, or care as indicated by your present circumstances and safety.
For survivors of criminal abuse, consider reporting to your local police station and consulting a victim's advocate to assist in your reporting process as indicated by your circumstances and present safety to report.
For those survivors who choose to report, know that you may also be eligible for federal funds to assist in your healing process if reporting criminal abuse to police and the appropriate investigative agencies. Check out our crime reparations funds page HERE to learn more.
I THRIVE honors the legacy of Jeffery Lynn Curtis and Michelle Marie Curtis as we commit to mental health awareness, sex assault survivor support, domestic violence support, and as we direct our efforts and attention to Suicide Prevention, Support, and Awareness in 2024.
