Salina man working to create mental health space following wife’s death

SALINA, Kansas (KWCH) – A Salina man is turning the memory of his late wife into a way to help others.

Jazzmyne Lee committed suicide last August. Now her husband, Ben, is working to bring more mental health resources to the community.

“I enjoyed being around her all the time. Whether it’s here at home, all those things, ”Ben said.

They were raising their young family and running a restaurant, Bravo Sliders N Bites.

Ben said, “Partner in everything. Whether related to work, whether related to home, in all aspects, that was my partner. “

Ben said that depression and mental health problems had been a long struggle for his wife.

After Jazzmyne’s death in August, Ben continued to think about what he can do to support others when intervention is needed.

“She just needed other options, and I understand that. Now I get it, ”he said.

Ben says what he’s envisioning complements traditional mental health resources, but offers another place for people to turn. So you are working to set up a relaxation center. He describes it as a self-service spa, a safe place to come when there is a desire to get away.

He said, “A place where you can do that. You are not judged, you are not belittled because we are not well because many people are not well ”.

The name – Myne, Body and Soul. The “Myne” taken from the name Jazzmyne. Ben said that while he was using the traditional Jazzmyne pronunciation, when he was born, his father pronounced it as “mine”.

“Talk about therapy, it works and it’s very important, but sometimes you need another option to turn to. He was paying for the massages, but he wasn’t really even doing them, he was just talking to them, ”Ben said.

One of Ben’s goals is to give more importance to mental health and address some of the stigma because he says that was something his wife faced. She said she was afraid to talk about what was happening because she didn’t want to be judged. He describes this effort as his “why”, something he has to do for Jazzmyne.

“I did not understand the dynamics of depression, of other mental disorders. I wasn’t fully understanding how I do it now, ”Ben said.

He says he would like to have something open for March 4th, Jazzmyne’s birthday. Ben has started a GoFundMe to help raise money for the relaxation center. You can find those details here: Myne body and soul.

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