In 2009, author Darielys Tejera published the book, "Absolutely Nothing." It contained what might be the first written work with the exact words "fighting a battle you know nothing about."

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"I was sitting here today, thinking. It is not like it is abnormal for me to do, but it is strange. It hit me that there are thousands of us out there who want to kill ourselves sometimes. There are people wanting to throw away their lives while at the same time others are struggling to keep theirs. Some of us beg to die, and some of us beg to live. Most are young, most die unnecessarily, and many are among the most imaginative and gifted that we, as a society, have. The truth of it all is that life really is a precious gift. It sure may seem as a long road, but truth is that this life is short, too short. Some years sure seem long, especially the high school years; but eventually, those years are gone. And when those tough years have passed, we start to wish that time could slow down, and damn do we miss them. Then reality strikes. Time to grow up and "it is the heart afraid of breaking that never learns to dance, the dream afraid of waking that never takes the chance. It is the one who will not be taken who cannot seem to give and the soul afraid of dying that never learns to live." All I can say is, do not judge someone until you walk a mile in their shoes. Be nice to everyone you meet because they are fighting a battle you know nothing about, and that I can say from experience."

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The book sounds dark, yet also hopeful:

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"The purpose is mainly to give hope to those going through the same situation as I once did, to be able to put out something in which people can relate to, to have others be aware that suicide does occur, it does happen and no one is alone in it. Some people are given wings, others have gifts while others have to find their meaning and my wings were given to me, I learned my gifts and I found my purpose. I realized my gifts which were drawing and writing and found my purpose which was to help someone else there for I took advantage of all three and decided to write this book. I think that is why we are all here, the purpose we serve in our life through some time or another, through some way, shape or form is to save someone else whether you know it or not."

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On Jan. 26, 2013, author Tom Sileo wrote a story about Douglas Jay Green, a U.S. Army specialist who was killed on Aug. 28, 2011, while fighting in Afghanistan.

 

In Sileo's article, "The Other Fellow First," he wrote about a letter that Green had mailed to his family not long before his death. The crushing loss of a fellow soldier, Spc. Brandon Mullins, 21, reinforced Doug's belief that his own death could soon be at hand. While Green's mother, Suni Erlanger, later said her son would have been allowed to stay behind from his final combat patrols, Doug went anyway. Two weeks before his death, Doug mailed a heartfelt letter to his loved ones.

 

"If I could leave you with any words of wisdom it would be two things that I have always tried to live my life by," he wrote. "Make sure you always put yourself in the position of anyone you ever have contact with. You will never truly know a man or woman until you try to see things from their perspective.

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Secondly, never pass judgment or put anger on someone too quickly or harshly. Because I guarantee you that person is fighting a battle that you know nothing about."

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The full letter is here. 

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