Summary

Alyssa Goddard was born October 14th, 1997, a resident of Greenfield, Indiana, to Jerry Goddard and Kathryn Badger at Hancock Memorial Hospital. Alyssa was her father's "little pumpkin" and the apple of her mother's eye. At a young age, 26, on August 9th, 2024 this earthly world lost a compassionate soul to her battle with mental illness.

Alyssa was an active member of "Celebrate Recovery" at Brandywine Community Church. Supporting others' during hardships and being a beacon of hope and light was something she strived to be for members of the church and outside the church as well. Her remarkable ability to make others feel special and that they matter meant everything to her; she always had an open ear and open heart with an encouraging word, supportive attitude, and beautiful smile. She devoted her life to putting others' needs before her own and her words of hope are felt by many that will cherish memories of her, as well as the impact she held in their lives. Assuring others that they aren't alone was of paramount importance to her.

In her leisure she spent time with friends, enjoyed music, art, singing. She was strong in her faith as a Christian, and family meant everything to her.

This drive to help others is foreshadowed by her own ongoing battles with depression that she struggled with for many years. She had two beautiful children, Ryker and Aurora, that were her pride and joy. She wanted so badly to overcome her afflictions so she could be the best version of herself and give her everything and more to her children.

Alyssa was preceeded in death by her sister, Ashley Goddard, Judith Grabhorn (Omi), Alice J Goddard (Granny), James Goodman (Grandpa), Louisa Mae Goddard (cousin), and several aunts and uncles.

She is survived by her husband Aaron Kraft; two children; Ryker and Aurora; brother James (Mackenzie) Goddard; Dad, Jerry (Dana) Goddard; and Mom, Kathryn (Joe) Badger, and many other family and friends who loved her dearly.

Alyssa's Celebration of Life will be held at Brandywine Community Church on Saturday, August 17, 2024. The visitation will be from 10am to 12pm. Service begins at 12pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Alyssa's children Ryker and Aurora are also accepted. Contact Kathryn (Alyssa's mother) for details at the Celebration of life.

In honor of Alyssa's memory, her family has wanted to educate and encourage others to contact the Suicide Prevention and Crisis hotline and utilize resources if you or someone you know is struggling with mental illness.
You can call/text 988 anytime to reach the Suicide and Crisis Hotline.
Below are some resources:
https://nationaltoolkit.csw.fsu.edu/resource/national-suicide-prevention-lifeline-1-800-273-talk-8255/
https://www.in.gov/issp/
https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/facts/index.html

It is important to understand that suicide does not discriminate against age, race, income, sex or religion; everyone is affected by suicide. Research has shown environmental factors that affect our mental health change as we age. Teens are confronted with unstable relationships with family, friends and boyfriends/girlfriends as well as the stress of school and sports. Adults can face financial and marital stressors along with having to care for aging parents. The elderly population, who were once independent and self-sufficient are watching family and friends pass away as well as facing their own mortality. Lastly, veterans, who sacrificed so much to protect our borders and those in other countries, come home with post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse issues, and possibly marital discord
These different stressors can lead an individual feeling hopeless and helpless without any reprieve. There is help available to help manage and even lessen the burden of carrying these feelings by yourself. Additional information on warning signs, risk and protective factors as well as how to help yourself or someone you know this experiencing suicidal behaviors or thoughts is provided below.
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Hotline Number 800-273-TALK (8255) or refer to "Find Help" on the left navigation for additional information.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger of hurting themselves or others, please call 9-1-1 for immediate assistance.