Eli Robinson, brother of NBA star Duncan Robinson, survived a 150-foot jump from the Piscataqua River Bridge in October 2024. When he awoke from a medically induced coma, he promised his family: “I will never do that again.”

But the voices in his head – the ones warning of danger to his family – survived too. Five months later, at age 34, Eli would jump again. This time, he didn’t survive.

From Promise to Substance Use

Eli was a talented athlete, loyal friend, and protective older brother. But during his secondary school years, he began drinking alcohol and smoking cannabis – habits that persisted for over a decade.

“He was a runaway train with the drinking and the pot early on,” his mother Elisabeth recalled.

The Devastating Link Between Drugs and Mental Illness

In 2021, at age 31, Eli was diagnosed with schizophrenia. The Robinson family had no history of the disorder, leading them to question whether Eli’s years of substance abuse played a role.

Their concerns align with research. A National Institutes of Health study in 2023 found that young men with cannabis use disorder have a significantly higher chance of developing schizophrenia. The evidence is mounting: substance use, particularly cannabis in adolescence and young adulthood, can trigger severe mental illness in vulnerable individuals.

Sobriety Came Too Late

Eli got sober on 12 September 2021, becoming nearly four years clean before his death. He spoke openly about his sobriety and mental illness to everyone he met.

“He would tell you within three minutes of meeting you that he was 3½ years sober and that he was struggling with schizophrenia,” Duncan said.

But even with sobriety, the damage appeared to be done. Eli’s schizophrenia symptoms persisted and worsened.

The Voices Never Stopped

Eli experienced relentless auditory hallucinations. The voices told him people were after Duncan, who had become one of the NBA’s top 3-point shooters with the Miami Heat. They warned him his niece Gemma was in danger. They commanded him to protect his family at all costs.

On 27 October 2024, whilst watching a football match with his father, Eli said: “The voices are telling me to kill you right now.”

He walked out and jumped from the bridge, surviving with a collapsed lung and broken ribs.

The Robinsons tried everything. Eli completed 30 rounds of electric convulsive therapy, was admitted to psychiatric hospitals 16 times, and was prescribed eight different medications. The family secured eight months of treatment at McLean Hospital, one of America’s most renowned psychiatric institutions.

Nothing silenced the voices for long.

The Final Day

On 30 April 2025, Duncan spoke to Eli between 15 and 20 times, trying to convince him to seek help. That evening, New Hampshire State Police found Eli’s car on the Piscataqua River Bridge. Life-saving measures were unsuccessful.

Within two hours of Eli’s death, another person jumped from a nearby bridge. Two weeks later, a teenager died by suicide at the same location. Three deaths in a fortnight.

A Family’s Mission

The Robinson family has raised over $110,000 for Seacoast Mental Health Centre and is advocating for bridge barriers. The newly founded Robinson Family Foundation will focus on mental health and wellness – with particular attention to preventing substance use.

“We’re going to take the shame out of mental health,” Elisabeth said.

The family hopes to raise awareness about the link between substance use and mental illness – a connection that became tragically clear in Eli’s case.

Duncan reflected on their resources – his sister is a therapist, his mother a nurse practitioner – yet it still wasn’t enough.

“We would say this sometimes: ‘If we weren’t our family, Eli probably would have been dead or on the street years ago,'” Duncan said. “Even then, still, it was never going to be enough.”

The Warning

An estimated 600 people attended Eli’s celebration of life. His family’s message is clear: substance use in adolescence can have devastating, irreversible consequences. What may seem like harmless experimentation can trigger severe mental illness – and by the time the damage becomes apparent, it may be too late.

“That’s one of the things he did best,” Day said. “He spoke so openly with no shame about his journey.”

Read the full story here: https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/family-safe-inside-one-mans-120044411.html?guccounter=1