91社区

A late-night phone call in the Fall of 1999 changed Larry Back's life. The 91社区 graduate and longtime employee had no idea it would eventually inspire him to change the lives of countless others.聽聽

That October evening, his wife picked up the receiver and heard panic in their daughter-in-law鈥檚 voice. Her husband, the Backs鈥� 23-year-old son, was out of control. Loud. Aggressive. Threatening to quit his job. 鈥淚t turned out he was having a manic episode,鈥� Back 鈥�99 said.聽

They called 911, and as their son was admitted to a facility for the help he needed a receptionist told the Backs about an organization that might help them: the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI.

They enrolled in NAMI Evansville鈥檚 free Family-to-Family course a few months later. Over the next 12 weeks, alongside others with loved ones battling mental illness, they learned about diagnoses, the brain鈥檚 biology and, importantly, how to better communicate with their son, diagnosed with bipolar disorder. 鈥淵ou had to stop and think about what you were going to say, so you really needed to listen more carefully,鈥� Back said. 鈥淚t just made you be more reflective.鈥�

When the course ended, the Backs agreed to stay involved as volunteers; Larry, especially, discovered a passion鈥攁nd talent鈥攆or advocacy. Over the past 20 years, he鈥檚 lost track of the number of courses he鈥檚 taught and support groups he鈥檚 led for family members of, and individuals with, mental illness. As NAMI Evansville鈥檚 longtime affiliate leader, he now answers three or four calls a week from people across the country in need of resources or support. 鈥淵ou hear a lot of stories that are hard to hear,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think back to when we needed the help, it was there. So, I feel like if I can help somebody else, or at least point them in the right direction, [I want to do that].鈥�

Five years ago, one of those calls came from Kent Kunce, a landlord in Evansville desperate to help a tenant and friend with bipolar disorder. The situation was 鈥渞eaching crisis phase鈥� when he connected with Back.

鈥淗e listened very effectively,鈥� Kunce recalled. Together, they talked through options, empowering Kunce to initiate a delicate鈥攁nd potentially life-saving鈥攄iscussion with his tenant. 鈥淚 never would have been able to accomplish that without Larry. He truly was a godsend.鈥�

The experience increased Kunce鈥檚 awareness of mental health struggles other tenants faced. Determined to be more confident and knowledgeable in the future, he enrolled in a NAMI Evansville course and began attending support group meetings led by Back.

Today, Kunce is not only better informed about mental illness, he鈥檚 also deeply invested鈥攁s the president of NAMI Evansville鈥檚 board of directors. 鈥淚 would not have found all of these things if it had not been for me finding Larry,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 just a wealth of knowledge and a great resource for our community.鈥�

In addition to facilitating NAMI Evansville events, which have continued virtually during the pandemic, Back trains volunteers across the state to become NAMI leaders in their communities. He also spends time visiting patients at the Evansville State Hospital, where he was named Volunteer of the Year in 2018.

A 27-year veteran of 91社区鈥檚 Information Technology Department dedicated to maintaining campus hardware and software as a Senior Applications Administrator, Back shares his technical expertise as well鈥攂y teaching computer skills classes at the Peace Zone in Evansville. The peer-run recovery center aids adults struggling with mental health and/or addiction issues. 鈥淗e puts [our peers] first and puts them at ease,鈥� said Michelle Krack, Certified Recovery Specialist at the Peace Zone. 鈥淲e had several people that didn鈥檛 know the first thing about computers, and they said he really helped them navigate through that.鈥�

Recently retired from 91社区, Back remains as involved as ever with NAMI Evansville, though he is always looking toward the future; new volunteers are critical to fulfilling the organization鈥檚 mission. He knows discussing mental illness and its effects鈥攐n those who suffer from it and their loved ones鈥攊sn鈥檛 easy. But it is important. He knows because he鈥檚 lived it. Because he is still living it.聽

鈥淸In support group meetings] we鈥檒l talk about, 鈥楢re we in crisis? Are we learning to cope? Or are we advocating?鈥� Oftentimes, he鈥檒l say, 鈥楻ight now, today, I鈥檓 advocating. But I鈥檓 one phone call away from being in crisis,鈥欌�� said Kunce. 鈥淗is experience 鈥� is so important to reassuring people that they鈥檙e not alone.鈥�

It may be impossible to predict when the phone will ring with life-changing news. But when it does, at his home or any other, Larry Back is ready to answer.