Duncan Robinson shared his brother Eli’s story during Mental Health Awareness Month, and there is no easy way to write about it because there was no easy way to live it.
Eli Robinson died by suicide on April 30, 2025. He was 31. Eli had dealt with substance abuse and schizophrenia, and Robinson has since used his platform to speak publicly about mental health in the hope that other families might feel less alone.
For Mental Health Awareness Month, Duncan Robinson, shared his brother Eli’s mental health story.
Eli sadly died by suicide last year.
A touching and brave tribute by Robinson to help raise awareness during this important month 🙏 pic.twitter.com/dahuJM7pI8
— NBARetweet (@RTNBA) May 3, 2026
That is what makes the tribute so powerful. Robinson is not trying to turn pain into content. He is trying to turn pain into contact. Mental health stories often disappear behind polite silence, especially in sports, where toughness is still too often confused with quiet suffering. Robinson’s decision to share Eli’s story pushes against that instinct. It says grief does not have to be hidden to be honored.
There is bravery in that, but there is also love. Robinson is speaking as a brother, not as a brand. He is carrying Eli’s name into a public space because names matter, because families matter, and because the hardest conversations can become life-saving conversations when someone finally starts them.
Basketball gives Robinson a microphone. This is what he chose to do with it.
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. In the U.S. and Canada, call or text 988. In Germany, call TelefonSeelsorge: 0800 111 0 111, 0800 111 0 222, or 116 123. In the U.K. and Ireland, Samaritans can be reached at 116 123. If there is immediate danger, call emergency services now
