When Jeannette Rizzi’s best friend, Katie Nicole Wilson, was laid to rest nearly 20 years ago, a part of Rizzi went into the ground with her. A week shy of her 16th birthday, Katie took her own life. Rizzi, a teen at the time, said the loss of her dear friend rattled her.
“Katie’s death changed my life, it literally blindsided me,” said Rizzi, 34. “I felt like I had failed her in the worst way. We had a pact we would always protect each other and the fact that I didn’t have a clue she was hurting in such a terrible way made me feel like I was a bad friend.”
On Thursday, Rizzi will explore the depths of sadness she felt following Katie’s suicide, her move across country and her realizations about life during her performance of “Blindsided” at 7 p.m. at Malibu City Hall at 23825 Stuart Ranch Road. Rizzi’s one-woman play, which she wrote, produced and stars in, is sponsored by the City of Malibu. It is free to attend.
“Blindsided,” which is sometimes humorous and sometimes insightful, is a dedication to Katie. The 75-minute stage performance delves into the effects of teen suicide. Rizzi portrays 10 people who were involved in her life around the time Katie died.
“I felt the way they loved me and hurt me deep in my core,” she said. “I know what it is like to want to check out of life permanently, and I wanted to be the one who tells the whole story directly from my heart.
“The message that I hope to convey is: ‘Life with all its ups and downs, is worth living,’” Rizzi said.
At age 14, Rizzi, a full-blooded Italian and the daughter of a nun and monk, moved with her family to Alachua, Fla. She felt like an outcast in the Southern town until she met Katie, who at 15 was gum-chewing and foul-mouthed. The two formed a sisterhood.
“We became fast friends. We bonded instantly over a few things, mainly being the youngest children,” said Rizzi. “Our older, scary sisters wanted nothing to do with us, so we assumed the role in each other’s lives.”
The duo protected each other.
“From the moment we met, we spent every day together, laughing, crying, joking, and daydreaming,” said Rizzi, a Los Angeles resident for 10 years.
Katie was a well-liked student who seemed to have a great future in front of her. That all changed on Feb. 4, 1998, when Katie put a shotgun in her mouth and pulled the trigger.
Rizzi said after Katie’s death she struggled with her own suicidal thoughts.
“But I fought them off because I didn’t want to leave anyone, especially my family, with the same type of pain Katie’s death left me with,” she said.
According to the Jason Foundation, a Tennessee organization formed in the memory of a teen suicide victim, suicide is the second-leading cause of death for people ages 10 to 24, and each day there is an average of more than 5,400 suicide attempts by middle and high school students in the U.S.
Rizzi recalls being taught many things in school, but nothing about suicide prevention.
“You can’t control how people are going to treat you and you definitely can’t control the challenges that you’re going to face in life, but you can control the way you react,” she said.
In the years since her friend’s death, Rizzi has moved from the Sunshine State to Los Angeles and made a name for herself in standup comedy. She has taken the stage at comedy clubs such as The Ice House, The Comedy Store and Flappers.
She has never forgotten about Katie. That is why she created “Blindsided.” Rizzi has performed the one-woman show as often as possible in the two years since she created it. After her performance last June at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, a performing arts celebration, online reviewers praised Rizzi.
Vanessa Zamarripa said “Blindsided” was amazing.
“It made me cry, it made me laugh! I would definitely recommend it to everyone and anyone! Jeannette Rizzi does a phenomenal job portraying each character!” her review read.
Morgan Bogad wrote that Rizzi’s play is an incredibly personal story.
“This show takes you right to the edge and grabs ahold of you,” the review read.
Rizzi hopes Malibuites who see her performance will feel hopeful and inspired.
“I hope they leave the show with open eyes and hearts, remembering despite our differences, we are all human and no one is immune to the pain words inflict,” she said. “Try to say something nice to someone every single chance you get. You never know who is struggling with the thought of suicide, and your kind words could be the one thing that ultimately saves their life.”
