"It was shock": When Ryan Day recalls unforgettable memory of dad that influenced him to hire mental health staff

Ryan Day has been able to lead the Ohio State Buckeyes to the biggest prize in the sport. In January, the Buckeyes were able to defeat the Notre Dame Fighting Irish to win the National Championship. This has been the biggest success in Day's coaching career.

However, Day has been through a lot in his life, and some of these moments have helped him in his coaching career. One of these has been the death of his father. In 2021, Day spoke to Fox Sports about the impact of this event on him at the time.

"It was a January day, and it just kind of happened. It was shock, I just remember the shock of people's faces. It was one of those moments that you'll obviously won't forget." (1:30)

On that fateful day in 1988, Ryan Day's father, Ray, committed suicide. Ryan was only nine years old when this happened.

Since entering into the public sphere as a College Football coach, Ryan has used his platform to talk and raise awareness of mental health. He and his wife have set up a fund, the Nina and Ryan Day Resilience Fund, which will help students at Ohio State open up about their mental health.

Additionally, Ryan speaks at events and works with outside agencies, such as the Nationwide Hospital in Columbus, Ohio to raise awareness for Mental Health and to "break the stigma" surrounding it. This is mostly focused on athletes and men, where the topic of mental health can still be as taboo and downplayed by society.

Inspired by what happened to his father when he was a young boy, Ryan Day is championing a cause that he is passionate about, and is hoping to make a difference in his local community, one that holds him in high regard.

Ryan Day makes mental health donation after signing new contract

Ryan Day is not only raising awareness of mental health issues, he is putting money toward helping those with these issues.

On Thursday, it was announced that Day had signed a new seven-year contract with the Buckeyes worth $12.5 million a year. This will keep him with the Buckeyes until 2031. According to a Reddit post, Day has already put some of that money towards his chosen cause.

"After signing his contract, Ryan Day made a $1M donation to mental health programs at The Ohio State University Medical Center....Day has been a champion for mental health awareness after losing his father many years ago.”

This donation will be put to good use, helping to fund mental health programs for those who are struggling. This also shows that Day has always got his chosen cause close to him, and he is always looking out for ways to further it.