From silence to support: How one man’s mental health journey is helping others find healing

TAMPA, Fla. — As a teenager, Johnny Crowder remembers fighting a battle most people couldn’t see.

He counted his steps as he walked, carefully avoiding cracks in the sidewalk. He carried hand sanitizer everywhere, hooking it to his belt loop. He avoided handshakes, making excuses for fist bumps instead. And in his mind, a voice kept reassuring him everything was fine—that he was “crushing it,” even when he knew something wasn’t right.

Eventually, after years of struggling, Crowder’s mom convinced him to see a therapist. What followed was overwhelming. Diagnosis after diagnosis—schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and more—left him feeling labeled, misunderstood and, at times, hopeless.

“I felt doomed. I felt helpless,” he shared in a public talk. “So helpless that all I could do was let people try to help me and hope something would work.”

Crowder’s journey with mental health hasn’t been simple. A suicide and abuse survivor, he spent more than a decade navigating treatment, learning how to manage his conditions, and rebuilding a sense of purpose. But through that experience, something else began to take shape—a desire to help others who might be struggling quietly, just as he once was.

That desire led to the creation of Cope Notes.

A simple message that can make a real difference

Cope Notes is a text-based mental health platform that delivers short, supportive messages directly to users each day. No app. No login. No expectation to respond. Just a brief, thoughtful message designed to interrupt negative thought patterns and remind someone they’re not alone.

“I think prevention is finally shifting from an afterthought to a priority, and it’s making a real difference,” Crowder said. “It’s anonymous, you don’t need a smartphone or internet and it only takes a few seconds a day. We just want to make it as easy as possible for anyone who is struggling to get the support they deserve.”

Today, Cope Notes reaches users in more than 100 countries, offering consistent, accessible encouragement crafted by mental health professionals. For many, those messages arrive exactly when they’re needed most—during quiet moments of stress, anxiety or uncertainty.

And the impact is measurable. Nearly 90% of users report reduced anxiety, stress and depression, while more than 94% say they feel more positive, focused and emotionally supported after using the program.

Bringing support to the community

Recognizing both the growing need for mental health support and the power of early intervention, AdventHealth has partnered with Cope Notes to expand access across West Florida.

Through this initiative, AdventHealth is underwriting 500 complimentary subscriptions for community members, distributed through two trusted partners: ECHO in Hillsborough County and Premier Community Healthcare in Pasco County.

By working with local organizations already serving vulnerable populations, this program ensures support reaches people who may otherwise go without it whether due to cost, stigma or lack of access to traditional care.

Caring for the whole person

For AdventHealth, this partnership reflects a deeper commitment to whole-person care.

“AdventHealth strives to care for the mind, body and spirit, so supporting the mental health of our patients is core to our mission,” said David Ottati, president and CEO of AdventHealth's West Florida Division. “We are excited to partner with Cope Notes, ECHO and Premier Community Healthcare to bring support to those in need.”

Mental health challenges don’t always show up in a doctor’s office. They often live in the everyday moments—on a walk, at work or late at night when someone feels alone. By meeting people where they are with something as simple as a text message, this initiative helps bridge the gap between silence and support.

For Crowder, that’s exactly the point.

Because he knows firsthand what it feels like to struggle in silence—and how powerful it can be when even one small message breaks through.

FOX13+: Watch Johnny's interview with Regina Gonzalez -- sharing the one thing he wants people to know about mental health statistics.