A NOTE BEFORE YOU WATCH
This conversation includes discussion of suicide, grief and mental health. If you or someone you know needs immediate emotional support, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Please take care of yourself—and take care of your athlete.
From Grief to a Power for Good
In Part 1 of this conversation, Brigitte Shulze introduced us to her daughter Sarah—not simply as an accomplished Division I runner, but as a young woman full of curiosity, determination, humor and compassion.
Sarah loved adventure. She cared deeply about others. And from an early age, she believed she could make a difference in the world.
In Part 2, that belief becomes the foundation of her legacy.
Brigitte returns to Be Valiant to share what happened after Sarah's death in 2022, how her family began navigating unimaginable grief, and how they transformed their determination to help others into the Sarah Shulze Foundation.
The conversation begins with a deeply personal story.
After Sarah's death, Brigitte and her husband Scott made the decision to donate her organs. They have since met Nick, the young man who received Sarah's heart.
Nick had experienced significant health challenges throughout his life. After receiving his transplant, he felt well enough to run a 5K—without knowing that his new heart had belonged to an accomplished runner.
For Brigitte, that connection is one of the ways Sarah's spirit continues to live on.
But Sarah's legacy extends far beyond that extraordinary story.
In the months following her death, Brigitte and Scott began hearing from families across the country. Parents, athletes and others shared their own experiences with mental-health struggles, often revealing stories they had never previously discussed openly.
The Shulze family recognized an urgent need for education, awareness and more meaningful support for young people.
The Sarah Shulze Foundation grew from that realization.
Its work focuses on mental-health awareness, suicide-prevention education and student-athlete advocacy—reflecting Sarah's lifelong commitment to helping others and making her community better.
Brigitte also describes difficult conversations with the University of Wisconsin about the mental-health resources, coaching oversight and communication systems that existed when Sarah was a student-athlete.
For parents, those conversations raise important questions.
What mental-health support does an athletic program provide?
Are coaches trained to recognize warning signs?
What happens when an athlete is struggling?
Who communicates with families?
And does the institution have a plan before a crisis occurs?
These questions ultimately became part of a larger effort to create change.
In September 2026, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed legislation known as Sarah Shulze's Law.
The law establishes student mental-health training requirements, including suicide-prevention education, for covered college athletic personnel in California.
Power for good really spoke to who Sarah wanted to be in this world.
For Brigitte, its significance extends beyond any single institution or athletic program.
It recognizes that coaches have responsibilities extending beyond physical performance—and that learning to recognize and respond to mental-health concerns should be part of the athletic experience.
Brigitte hopes the legislation will inspire similar action in other states.
But she doesn't believe families and sports organizations should wait for legislation.
Through the Sarah Shulze Foundation, she encourages coaches, parents, teams and community organizations to participate in suicide-prevention training now.
The Foundation offers training opportunities that can be arranged for groups, including virtual and in-person sessions.
Brigitte's message is straightforward: learn the warning signs before you need to recognize them.
The conversation also returns to Sarah herself.
It doesn't matter what age your young athlete is. Arm them and yourselves with information that could save a life.
Brigitte explains the meaning behind the Foundation's guiding phrase, "A Power for Good."
As a child, Sarah advocated for improvements at her school. She raised money to help protect elephants in Africa. In college, she encouraged teammates to register to vote and use their voices.
Making a positive difference was not something the family invented in Sarah's memory.
It was something Sarah had already been doing throughout her life.
In the Valiant Parent Playbook, Brigitte offers two recommendations for parents.
First, seek suicide-prevention education for yourself and your children, even when everything appears to be going well.
Second, make room for conversations that reconnect young athletes with the joy of sports.
Ask what was fun at practice.
Being valiant is being brave enough to stand up for the good of your child.
Ask what made them happy.
Not every conversation needs to focus on performance, mistakes, coaches or the next competitive opportunity.
As the episode closes, Brigitte shares how Scott, Abby, Ella and the rest of the family continue finding ways to stay connected with Sarah.
Through coaching, travel, shared memories and the Foundation's work, Sarah remains part of their lives.
The Shulze family's experience is a reminder that meaningful change can begin with difficult conversations—and that parents, coaches and institutions all have a role in creating healthier environments for young people.
Sarah wanted to be a power for good.
Through her family's work, that legacy continues.
Top 5 Takeaways
MENTAL-HEALTH EDUCATION SHOULD BEGIN BEFORE A CRISIS.
Parents and coaches should not wait until an athlete is visibly struggling to learn about mental health or suicide prevention. Understanding warning signs, available resources and appropriate ways to respond can help adults recognize when someone needs additional support. Brigitte encourages families to make this education a normal part of preparing young people for sports and life.
ASK ABOUT THE MENTAL-HEALTH PLAN.
When evaluating a college or athletic program, parents often investigate coaching, academics, facilities, scholarships and competitive opportunities. Mental-health support deserves the same attention. Ask what resources exist, how athletes access them, what training coaches receive, and what communication procedures are in place. Parents should also understand applicable privacy rules and discuss appropriate information-sharing authorizations with their young adults.
COACHING RESPONSIBILITY EXTENDS BEYOND PERFORMANCE.
Coaches influence far more than an athlete's physical development. They help shape an environment in which young people may feel comfortable asking for help—or may fear that speaking up will affect their standing on the team. Mental-health awareness, appropriate training and a willingness to recognize when professional support is needed should be part of responsible coaching.
ATHLETES NEED A VOICE.
Brigitte hopes student-athletes understand that their well-being matters and that they should be able to raise concerns about their environment. Young people should not feel that speaking up about mental health, coaching behavior or team culture automatically puts their athletic opportunities at risk. Parents can help by listening, asking questions and advocating when necessary.
KEEP THE JOY IN SPORTS.
As competition becomes more demanding, families can lose sight of what made sports meaningful in the first place. Brigitte encourages parents to ask about the fun, friendships and experiences their children enjoy—not only their performance. The next team, tournament or recruiting opportunity should not become more important than the young person experiencing the game.
THE GUEST LEAVE-BEHIND
The Valiant Parent Playbook
When asked what parents should do differently after hearing Sarah's story, Brigitte offers advice that begins long before a family recognizes a mental-health crisis.
GET TRAINED BEFORE YOU NEED IT.
Seek suicide-prevention education for yourself and your athlete.
Learn to recognize warning signs, understand when someone may need help, and know where to turn for appropriate support.
Brigitte emphasizes that this knowledge matters even when your own child appears to be doing well.
Your athlete may someday need that knowledge to help themselves—or someone they know.
The Sarah Shulze Foundation offers opportunities for groups, teams, coaches and families to arrange suicide-prevention training.
ASK ABOUT THE JOY.
Have a conversation with your athlete that isn't about mistakes, performance, playing time or what the coach said.
Ask: "What was fun about practice today?"
Give your child room to talk about what they enjoy.
Brigitte wants parents to help young athletes reconnect with the happiness and personal meaning that brought them to sports in the first place.
