Lonely No More

Words by Ron Blake

According to an advisory issued by U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy on May 3, 2023, loneliness and isolation are a public health crisis — one causing devastating consequences for approximately half of the adults in this country.  

Evidence shows that increased social connectivity can combat this emergency, effectively reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia, and premature death for all Americans, including DAP Health patients. Surgeon General Murthy is therefore encouraging folks to cultivate a culture of connection, using no-cost medicine that’s all around us: people. He wants us to go out and engage with each other. 

And I’m here to be that loving nudge — to tell you it can be done, to get you moving in the right direction — by sharing a heartwarming success story that will hopefully inspire you to achieve a healthier life with no more seclusion.   

A 27-minute, Emmy-nominated documentary — The Blake Project on YouTube — was produced about my story. It highlights the significance of developing social connections.

But let me back up. I was diagnosed with PTSD and depression following a brutal rape and beating I experienced at the hands of three men. I isolated badly after that trauma. But an unexpected moment of laughter from “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” stopped me from dying by suicide at 10:44 p.m. on November 2, 2015. That heaven-sent disruption was the spark that ignited my very own Hero’s Journey, a particular kind of expedition and familiar literary theme that’s used in classic movies like “Star Wars,” “The Color Purple,” and “The Lord of the Rings.” It’s about answering a call to action, heading out on an adventure, facing down your fears, overcoming challenges, and then coming back home transformed and triumphant.  

I answered that comedic call to action from “The Late Show,” deciding to no longer isolate, and going out on my riveting adventure each day to engage strangers. By my being vulnerable with them about my trauma, something wonderful happened. People began opening up to me about their own personal ordeals and achievements, and we connected through our shared stories of heartbreak and happiness. 

Those strangers also got behind my mission to guest on “The Late Show” someday, where I will share the healing power of laughter and of making social connections. Through these new friends, I found a purpose in life.

Going out for 2,984 consecutive days on this ongoing cross-country hero’s journey, I have so far engaged 32,777 strangers, one by one. I also gave them a canvas to express themselves, and they contributed their words and images of support — in 94 languages on 502 giant foam boards via 27 colored Sharpie markers.  

Fingers crossed that someday soon I will be invited to deliver this massive, collective story of hope to Stephen Colbert on the air. To inform, entertain, and inspire millions of individuals to see that no one walks alone. 

I’ve come to realize that so many people in our DAP Health neighborhoods and communities care about one another. You are not alone. You are only one person and one conversation away from changing your life.  

So, this is your call to action. Answer it! Head out on your very own Hero’s Journey. You too can come back home transformed and triumphant over loneliness and isolation.