LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky State Sen. Karen Berg announced her 24-year-old son died by suicide last week.
Berg said her son Henry was a beloved son, brother, nephew, dog parent and friend. She said Henry, who was transgender, struggled with mental illness because of difficulty finding acceptance.
"Henry spent his life working to extend grace, compassion and understanding to everyone, but especially to the vulnerable and marginalized," Berg said in a statement. "This grace, compassion and understanding was not always returned to him. As the mother of a transgender son, I gave my whole heart trying to protect my child from a world were some people and especially some politicians intentionally continued to believe that marginalizing my child was OK simply because of who he was."
He had recently been promoted at the Human Rights Campaign.
"He was doing work that was important to him—to make the world a more accepting place," Berg said. "At 24 years old he had finally found a community, but that could not undo the brokenness that he already felt."
Berg said anti-trans messaging had taken a toll on her son.
"This hate building across the country weighed on him," Berg said. "In one of our last conversations he wondered if he was safe walking down the street."
The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 988.
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