The Will to Live

John Trautwein was a professional baseball player for seven years, including time with the Boston Red Sox, and is chief customer officer at Source Support Services, a global company based in Atlanta. When John’s 15-year-old son Will took his life in 2010, John thought his own life was over. He soon learned he was wrong thanks to the love and support of family, friends, teammates, the compassion of strangers, and his faith.

Along with his wife, Susie, John co-founded The Will to Live Foundation, dedicated to raising awareness of teen suicide, and to date has raised over $3 million, funding suicide prevention programs in more than 3,000 schools. He has given more than 500 talks, presentations, and keynote speeches to students, teachers, coaches, teams, universities, communities, corporations, and churches throughout the United States. The foundation has been featured in media outlets such as USA Today, CNN, Fox Sports, and Major League Baseball, as well as news and radio outlets and podcasts across the country. John and Susie have been awarded the “George W. Bush Presidential Point of Light Award” for their efforts to raise mental health awareness. In November 2024, John, a graduate of Northwestern University, was named the recipient of the university’s prestigious “One Life Touched, One Generation Changed Award.”