Sadie Riel – Granite Technical Institute

May 10, 2017, 6:15 PM | Updated: Jan 31, 2024, 8:32 pm

• This year, our son Luke took a yearlong EMT course through the GTI program from Sadie Riel. It was his senior year and unfortunately his anxiety and depression reared up. He attempted to take his own life, crushing all of us. After four long days in ICU and a weeklong trip to a treatment center, our son tried to regain a grip on his bearings for the last two months of school. He kept mentioning his EMT class and how he had worked too long and hard to give up now, but he worried he had missed his opportunity after losing two weeks of work. This is where we first met Sadie. She reached out to me in a caring email, asking about our son and how she could help. She proposed the idea that if he might be willing to share his story, that she and her students could write encouraging letters for his recovery. Our son gave the go-ahead and Sadie printed off 80 individual cards for him with students’ heartfelt inspiration on each one. My husband and I cried as we read the cards before delivering them to our son in the hospital. Sadie let us know, and we saw with our own eyes, that other students had suffered with issues similar to our son’s. He turned out to be the sixth one of her students, just in that year, who had tried to take their own precious lives. None of them knew one another, it was just a tragic coincidence. Starting back to school was a challenge, to say the least. Our sweet son had lost eighteen pounds and struggled to get out of bed. He would barely make it to his classes, knowing he couldn’t take a short cut in learning how to save lives in his EMT class. Sadie met with us to set up a game plan to reach certification. She followed through and stayed late, provided countless opportunities for him to turn in assignments, pass off assessments, you name it, she was there for him. Her end goal was to help our son reach the finish line, knowing he had worked hard with much support along the way. Her encouragement helped him stay up into the wee hours of the night, just to make this happen. Sadie lit the fire within him. She saw past his plight, his insecurities, doubts, and weeks of make-up work. She went the distance no other teacher had gone before in our son’s twelve years of schooling. At graduation, seeing the amount of other students who she inspired blew us away. Countless students across the Granite School District spoke to honor her devotion and passion to help each of them succeed in learning how to save lives, and to point them in the direction of their future endeavors. By never giving up on our son, Sadie Riel, not only taught him how to save lives in a classroom setting, she put her lessons into action by helping him save his own life emotionally. A true life-saver in and out of the classroom. We love you, Ms. Riel.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

a cat and her kitten shown, Fawn's Family Rescue provides quality time with adoptable ctas...

Heather Peterson

Fawn’s Family Rescue provides lounge to interact with adoptable cats

Fawn's Family Rescue recently opened its doors in Bountiful. The new cat lounge provides a comfortable way for people to hang out with feline friends.

3 hours ago

A n3-year degree may be an option...

Amie Schaeffer

Utah students could soon earn bachelor’s degrees in 3 years

College students may be able to graduate with a bachelors degree in three years in some industries.

4 hours ago

Rain and snow expected Easter...

Adam Small

More rain and snow on the way for Easter

More rain and snow is headed to Utah on Thursday, and the wet weather is expected to hang around through Easter.

5 hours ago

Rep Phil Lyman shown, lyman dei comments came under scrutiny...

Emma Keddington

Rep. Phil Lyman defends post correlating DEI policies with Baltimore bridge collapse

Rep. Phil Lyman is defending a post made Tuesday, that said Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) policies had something to do with the Baltimore bridge collapse. 

5 hours ago

The Powder Baby Dry Shampoo team poses with its check after winning the 2024 Utah Entrepreneur Chal...

Logan Stefanich, KSL.COM

BYU student startup wins $30K at Utah Entrepreneur Challenge

BYU entrepreneur Kylee Black, who founded Powder Baby, said the cash prize will be instrumental in advancing her business.

6 hours ago

Utah Jazz Collin Sexton...

Ben Anderson

Jazz 3-18 Since Trade Deadline After Loss To Spurs

At 3-18 since the trade deadline, the Jazz now sit behind the 4-19 Portland Trail Blazers as the league’s worst team since February 8.

7 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

Sadie Riel – Granite Technical Institute