I met Lyman once at Pinburgh, shortly after I bought Metallica. He was indeed one of the friendliest giants there ever was in pinball.

In my early 20’s, I struggled mightily with panic attacks and agoraphobia. I didn’t know what was happening, so I felt like I was going crazy. I drank heavily, and I remember telling myself at 22 that the only thing that mattered was to get through the year alive. I was lucky to find a talented therapist, who was also a Vietnam vet who had recovered from PTSD. He gave me the roadmap to my own recovery, and at the same time I started taking meds that turned my life around. I still take Prozac now, and I’m not ashamed of it. I’ve been a successful telecom engineer for 30+ years, and I hope to retire by 62.

In December, my beautiful goddaughter (20) went into the hospital for a month, for depression and self-harm. I want her to know that “it gets better!” is not just an empty promise. I know that my anxiety is easier to treat than her depression, but I want to believe that I can reach her. I’m going to call her this weekend, now that she’s back home. I love that kid and I’d be devastated if we lost her.