SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio doctor who spends her days helping fragile newborns survive is sharing her family’s story of loss in hopes of saving lives and encouraging more open conversations about mental health.
Dr. Isabel Basaldu-Prado, a NICU doctor at St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital, lost her son, Roel, to suicide in 2020.
He was a junior at Texas A&M University.
“If it saves one life, then I’ll feel like my son’s death would not have been in vain,” Basaldu-Prado said.
Basaldu-Prado provides care for sick and premature babies in San Antonio.
“I love what I do because it’s saving lives,” she said. “I get to see that first breath. I get to hear that first heartbeat. I get to help parents take their bundle of joy home.”
Basaldu-Prado is also a mother of five. Her children range in age from 15 to 34. Roel was her third child.
She said Roel struggled with his mental health for years and was open with his family about what he was experiencing.
“He came to us his junior year in high school and told us that he was having suicidal ideations,” Basaldu-Prado said.
His mental health care journey included medication, therapy and hospitalization, she said.
Through it all, Basaldu-Prado said she and her husband worked to create a home where difficult conversations were welcomed.
“I’ve always told my kids that there’s nothing that we can’t talk about, that there is nothing that we cannot fix,” she said. “I always tell them that I would be more upset if they lied to me than if they tell me the truth, that we will always try to figure it out.”
As Suicide Prevention Month comes to a close, Basaldu-Prado said she hopes her family’s experience encourages other parents and caregivers to listen closely when children talk about anxiety, sadness or suicidal thoughts.
“If your child comes up to you and says that they’re having issues with anxiety, they’re having issues with sadness, pay attention,” she said. “Listen.”
In 2021, the year after Roel died, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported suicide was the third-leading cause of death among high school students.
Basaldu-Prado said families should approach mental health struggles with compassion, even when they are difficult to understand.
“I would say to parents, just be open, be accepting, be understanding,” she said. “Mental health does not make sense.”
Anyone facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or anyone who needs someone to talk to can call or text 988 or use the 988 Lifeline chat. The service is free and available 24/7.
Read also:
Copyright 2026 by KSAT – All rights reserved.
