ABOUT FOUNDER LINDA PHILLIPS
“Who is Linda V Phillips?”
A mother, a wife, a friend, an unstoppable force in the pursuit of creating access to professional care for those suffering from depression and other brain illness, as well as a fierce advocate and “mom” to many musicians of the iconic Athens Music & Arts Scene.
In the aftermath of her son, Nuçi’s, battle with crippling depression and his death on Thanksgiving of 1996, Linda decided to turn her grief into a mission to alleviate others’ pain. She devoted her life to the service of others and her dream radiates through the organization she founded. Because of Linda’s vision, she was able to impact 1000’s of lives in and out of the Athens community.
Having lived the course of Nuçi’s illness with him, Linda recognized the need for obstacle-free, user-friendly ways of treating and supporting those who suffer from depression and other related brain illnesses. With a focus on Nuçi’s fellow musicians, the nonprofit Foundation opened the doors to Nuçi’s Space on September 30th, 2000.
"My hope is that if you've lost someone, you'll grieve and grieve your way. But never give up on life or think you'll never be happy again. You will be - your lost loved one would want it that way. And . . . you can do great things in honor of the one you lost. You can make a positive difference in your little corner of the world." - Linda V. Phillips (founder of Nuçi's Space)
Linda Phillips, Nuçi's mom and founder of Nuçi's Space, passed away peacefully on January 27th, 2021 at their home in New York City, with Pierre, "the love of her life" and husband of 52 years, by her side. Linda was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in December 2019, beginning a year-long battle with the disease that would eventually take her from us.
Linda's book, "A Beautiful Here"
Celebrating the Life of Linda Phillips
After living through her son's battle with crippling depression and enduring the overwhelming darkness that accompanied his death by suicide on Thanksgiving Day 1996, she decided to turn her grief into a mission to alleviate others' pain. Her dream radiates through the organization she founded, Nuçi's Space. Nuçi’s Space has been a part of the cultural fabric of Athens for more than two decades and has done immeasurable good for not only our music and arts scene but our entire community.
Nuçi’s Space has compiled memories and testimonials from friends to help us share the story of Nuci’s Space and to help illustrate the impact Linda Phillips has made in the lives of the musicians during the past two decades and the generations to follow. (Additional, complete memories and testimonials are available at flagpole.com)
David Barbe: I met Linda in about the worst possible circumstances. She called me on Thanksgiving morning 1996 to ask me if I had seen Nuçi since he had not come home as expected the night before. She picked me to call because I was one of his few friends whose last name she knew, and looked me up in the phone book. We had never met before. I offered to go over to his apartment and look around. When he didn’t come to the door or answer his phone, I called her back and she and Pierre drove up and met me at Nuçi’s apartment, where we were soon faced with the tragedy of his suicide. It was emotionally devastating. Our shared experience that day became one of the bonds of what would become a long friendship.
A month or so later, Linda called me and had an idea. A big one. She wanted to do something that would help other people like Nuçi, creative people struggling with depression and having suicidal thoughts; people who felt they had no place to turn. She was also appalled at the condition of the rehearsal spaces used by Nuçi and his bandmates. She wanted to create a place that did it all, offering help to those in need, and providing resources for independent musicians. Her idea became Nuçi’s Space.
Bob Sleppy: (October 1999) I pushed through the double doors of the 40 Watt and saw David Barbe and Daniel Hutchens on stage performing. The club was hosting a benefit for Nuçi’s Space. While waiting at the bar an elaborate display near the coat-check caught my eye. Having lost a close friend to suicide in 1992, the display had a profound effect on me. As I learned more about Nuçi’s story and Linda’s plans for Nuçi’s Space I began to see myself, my friends, and fellow musicians within her vision. Nuçi’s Space was going to be much more than just a rehearsal space. Excited about what I had just discovered, I took a piece of literature with an email address on it before I left the club. The email address belonged to Linda Phillips. My life would be forever changed.
Jane Peach: Linda spoke at a Family Counseling Service staff meeting in early 2000. Her vision, passion, and genuineness were moving and inspiring. So many came through my office, after first a late-night call to Linda, who was always available to calmly and compassionately listen and be fully present.
Brian Smith: I am so thankful for Linda. In the early days of Nuçi's Space, I had one of my first severe episodes dealing with my bipolar disorder. As a musician, I didn't have money to afford counseling or medication and, as a newer Athenian, I wasn't sure where to go or who to turn to. I went to Nuçi's Space because I heard they offered help. Linda helped me get set up with counseling services through Family Counseling Center of Athens and also helped me find a Psychiatrist to get the medication I needed at the time and at an affordable rate. She called me several times throughout the experience and offered her kindness and encouragement and helped push me forward through the process. I owe her such a tremendous debt of gratitude.
Patterson Hood: It is nearly impossible to capture the impact Linda Phillips has had on my life in a few mere words. I first met her sometime around the summer of 2000...Around that same time, a friend of mine died of suicide and his girlfriend Rebecca (who was also a friend of mine) was in a very dark place. Linda personally helped guide Rebecca through the darkest hours of her life and away from her own thoughts of suicide. A year or so later we began dating and have now been together for twenty years, married the past seventeen with two beautiful children. Rebecca will always say that Linda Phillips saved her life.
Bob Sleppy: Linda volunteered for over a decade before she retired to New York City in 2009. Linda drove 70 miles from her home in Atlanta to Nuçi's Space several days a week. On Wednesday evenings she volunteered to facilitate a peer-run support group called Survivors of Suicide, for those who had lost a loved one to suicide. She would spend her days meeting with musicians who were seeking support and comfort. Linda became a dear friend and fierce advocate for those who opened themselves up to her kindness. It was common, following a full workday and the long return trip home, she would retreat to her home office and continue to make and receive calls from "my musicians," as she likes to refer to our clients.
Steve Hinsch: I began my search online... Survivors of Suicide, a phrase I’d never heard of, jumped out at me. I found a group in Athens at Nuçi’s Space...So my first meeting, with a crowd of pensive, welcoming people, I was welcomed by Linda. I felt out of place, kinda like my first AA meeting, but Linda put me at ease quickly… Before that meeting’s end, in my 50s, I cried like a baby. But not alone.
Shauna H: I am 42 years old, alive and well. This is my Nuçi’s story of how Linda and Nuçi Phillips saved my life… I was 22 years old, living in Athens, working in the service industry, and playing in bands. One night I was home alone, once again at a jumping-off place, a danger to myself. I was clutching a bar napkin with a phone number and the word ‘help’ written on it that a friend had given me. It was 2 am and the number went to a voicemail which I blubbered a message on. Within 5 minutes my phone rang. It was Linda. She called me back in the middle of the night and talked to me for hours. She talked to me until -she- felt like I was going to be safe until my appointment the following day with a psychiatrist and therapist. It was the sliver of hope I needed to stay alive. I will forever be grateful for her love.
Laura Wilkerson: My first encounter with Linda was at my first Survivors of Suicide meeting in 2007. When I timidly walked into the Nuçi’s Space library and met Linda for the first time, I had no idea how the trajectory of my life would change. From the very beginning, Linda truly understood the complicated grief I felt over the loss of my brother, and she gave me the feeling that there was hope for a return to “normal”. She would always say “if love could have kept them here, they’d be alive right now.”
Bob Sleppy: Linda was a stalwart advocate for those who suffer from brain illness and worked tirelessly to prevent suicide. She was a survivor in every sense of the word. Although it was not an easy decision to retire from her role at Nuçi’s Space in 2009, she understood the need for the organization to evolve. After her move to New York City, she stayed in close contact with everyone at Nuçi’s Space; offering a caring ear, thoughtful advice, and clarity of purpose when needed. Although 800 miles would separate her from Nuçi’s Space, Linda’s presence is always felt here.
Lesley Cobbs: When Linda left Athens we talked on the phone. Long intense calls about even the smallest happening or problem our staff members were facing. One by one she would ask about every one of us, sometimes leaving me with the instruction to "make sure they call me this week" Other times very cleverly drawing out of me things I didn't even want to say. Her superpower, making you say uncomfortable truths, was one in a long list of superpowers.
"That's on you Lesley, you have to fix that"
"Yes Linda"
There was no doubt from either of us that the fixing would be happening the moment the call ended.
Andrew Shearer: I moved to Athens right after high school, and it was my first time being away from my family and living on my own. The staff at Nuçi's Space were the first friends I made in town, and they didn’t care that I was new to the city and knew absolutely no one. Linda was an immediate hero to me for what she created, but she was also the closest thing to a mother that I had nearby. Years later, long after all my bands had broken up, I stopped in to see her just to say hello and thank her. “You probably don’t remember me,” I said. Linda replied, “Of course I do. I remember all my kids.”
Bob Sleppy: Thankfully, Linda finished her first book “A Beautiful Here” in 2016 to leave with us. It’s a memoir of her experience with Nuçi through his battle with clinical depression and her grieving process after his death. The latter part of the book shares the inspiration for her creation of Nuçi’s Space and mission to prevent suicide. Prior to her diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in late December 2019, Linda shared with me that she had started to write a second book. She never shared with me the subject matter but I’m confident her goal was to help others.
Dave Schools: I’m so proud of what Nuçi’s Space has become. It’s a testament to the love Linda had for her son as well as the extraordinary strength of her vision for a place of coming together and healing... I wish every community had such a resource. Thank you Linda for sowing the seeds of healing from your tragic loss.
Jim White: At age seventeen [my daughter] suffered a bonafide mental health crisis, and as is often the case with troubled teens my daughter kept her struggles a secret. When I finally worked out what was going on behind the scenes it was clear that a major intervention was needed to literally save her life. The first thing I did was call Nuçi’s Space. And really, I feel fairly confident saying that this was the difference between life and death for my kid. She’s survived long enough to learn how to shine, to find her stride as a human being, and I’m fairly sure that would not have happened but for Nuçi’s Space… When I travel the world now, touring in countries far and wide, I often make mention of Nuci’s Space, and of Linda Phillips’ courage and vision in creating it... I wish there was a Nuçi’s Space in every city in the world—that would be a fitting homage to the amazing, inspirational work Linda started.
Bob Sleppy: I was fortunate to have spent a few days with Linda and her family about a month prior to her passing. Although it was evident that cancer and its treatment had ravaged her body and slowed her incredible mind, her sweet smile and sense of humor were still intact. At one point during our visit, Linda held my hand and confessed, with regretful acceptance, that she wouldn’t be able to finish her writing. Looking into my eyes, she said softly and confidently, “Darling, it’ll be up to you to finish writing our story.”
Often, I interpret those words more broadly, to include all of us who champion awareness and treatment of brain illness, with kindness, empathy, and care for our fellow human beings. That is the legacy of Linda Phillips, and it will be the responsibility of those who knew her and are inspired by her work to “finish writing the story.” I was reminded by Virginia Roberts, a close friend of Linda’s, who helped her scout a location for Nuçi’s Space in 1999. She said, “When she doubted her vision, I remember we repeated If not now, when? and Virginia added, If not you, then who?”
TESTIMONIALS
A FEW FRIENDS WHO LIVES WERE CHANGED BY LINDA AND NUÇI’S SPACE
David Barbe
I met Linda in about the worst possible circumstances. She called me on Thanksgiving morning 1996 to ask me if I had seen Nuçi since he had not come home as expected the night before. She picked me to call because I was one of his few friends whose last name she knew, and looked me up in the phone book. We had never met before. I offered to go over to his apartment and look around. When he didn’t come to the door or answer his phone, I called her back and she and Pierre drove up and met me at Nuçi’s apartment, where we were soon faced with the tragedy of his suicide. It was emotionally devastating. Our shared experience that day became one of the bonds of what would become a long friendship.
A month or so later, Linda called me and had an idea. A big one. She wanted to do something that would help other people like Nuçi, creative people struggling with depression and having suicidal thoughts; people who felt they had no place to turn. She was also appalled at the condition of the rehearsal spaces used by Nuçi and his bandmates. She wanted to create a place that did it all, offering help to those in need, and providing resources for independent musicians. Her idea became Nuçi’s Space.
I could go on at length about details from Thanksgiving 1996, but I don’t need to re-live that day any more than I already have. I could go on about the resulting history of Nuçi’s Space, but that is already out there. What I want to say is this: losing a child to suicide is a terrible tragedy, unimaginably painful, a thing that can tear people apart. It is a thing from which many affected people understandably struggle to find a way out. Linda Phillips took her experience with this and turned it into something for the betterment of others. She looked at her own pain and asked, “How can I help others avoid what I have experienced?” Instead of being destroyed by something debilitating, she got stronger, her strength emanating from love, empathy, kindness, compassion and a desire to achieve a deeper understanding of the human condition.
We live in a society that seems increasingly polarized in so many ways. Nuçi’s Space is an exception. What Linda created is one thing that we in Athens all believe in, rally around and genuinely love. No matter what our background, walk in life, preferred musical genre, we all love Nuçi’s Space. This positivity is reflective of the work that is done there, the opportunities it provides, the people served, and those who serve. All of this comes from the tone set by Linda. She was a true believer in her mission. In the formative days of the Space, Linda was simply not going to be diverted. She converted even the most staunch doubters. Again, she did so with her positive force which could never be denied.
I remember well our initial phone conversation about her idea. I was in my garage on an old portable land-line phone with an antenna. What she told me that night was, “David, there are a lot of Nuçis out there.” She wanted to prevent others from suffering in the same way her family had, drawing strength from her own pain, and using it to help those others who had the same creative spirit and mental struggles as Nuçi, and fortunately for them, someone like Linda who wanted them to feel the same love and compassion that she had shown her own son.
Athens is a better place because of Nuçi’s Space. Our music community certainly is. My own life has been positively affected by it, along with countless others. I am grateful to have had Linda as a friend for as long as I did. She remains a source of inspiration for me. Her spirit lives on.
Lesley Cobbs
When Linda left Athens we talked on the phone. Long intense calls about even the smallest happening or problem our staff members were facing. One by one she would ask about every one of us, sometimes leaving me with the instruction to "make sure they call me this week" Other times very cleverly drawing out of me things I didn't even want to say. Her superpower, making you say uncomfortable truths, was one in a long list of superpowers.
"That's on you Lesley, you have to fix that"
"Yes Linda"
There was no doubt from either of us that the fixing would be happening the moment the call ended.
Leara Rhodes
Linda Phillips did not know how to save her son’s life as hard as she tried; but, she saved hundreds of other lives by using what she learned from her own son’s suffering and figuring out how to give our creative souls space to grow and to live their fullest lives. Wow. Most of us would wade around in our grief for years. She did not. She was a woman who turned her grief into a community of folks who learned how to embrace each other in our darkest moments. She took the energy from her grief of losing her son and built a place where musicians could find a safe haven and help they could afford. A place where I was always welcomed and embraced. When I first met Linda, I was the faculty advisor for the then UGA student Nuçi’s organization. It was the late 1990s and I was in awe of this woman who seemed to know no problem big enough to stop her from accomplishing her goal: Nuçi’s Space. Her example of community development in order to help others should be the cornerstone of all our communities. I, for one, am better for having known her and for watching her make miracles happen right here in Athens.
George Fontaine
Although I only met Linda a few times over the years, my family has continued to be supporters of Nuçi’s Space for some time. Athens is a lucky community to have had the services that Nuçi’s provides thanks to Linda’s vision. I’ve been in the music business a long time and have lost too many artists over the years to problems stemming from mental health issues, and often wondering would the outcome have been different had those artists had access to a Nuçi’s Space in their community. How do you measure Linda and Nuçi’s legacy? It’s just by knowing that there are people out there living their lives and interacting with others that otherwise might not be.
Kitty Snyder
I met Linda in person when I played the very first gig at the opening of Nuçi's Space 20 years ago - myself, David Barbe and Five-Eight - and I was honored to be involved in something so meaningful. My family and I have a generational history of mental illness, but until Nuçi’s Space opened, I had never talked about it. Nuçi's Space gave us all the “okay” to talk about suicide, anxiety, and depression, out loud. I was in awe of Linda and her devotion to others, despite her own pain in losing Nuçi. I moved to Atlanta shortly afterward, but when Linda's book "A Beautiful Here" came out, I devoured it in one sitting, and then reached out to her to thank her and she responded right away. I told her of my own experiences and how much her book touched me. She gave us all the unique chance to express our suffering and/or worries for others, and made a monumental change in our lives. I designed this current website for the Space, working with Bob and Patrick, so I feel very grateful to give a little bit back.
Frances Beusse
I met Linda when I was an intern at Nuçi’s Space back in 2005. I was a student at UGA studying Psychology and Music at UGA so it was a perfect fit – a dream internship for me. I enjoyed my time getting to know her and I still vividly remember the first time I heard Linda tell Nuçi’s story. When I finished my internship and was about to graduate, I stopped by Nuçi’s Space in a slight panic. I wanted to talk with someone as I didn’t know what to do next and needed some support. I still remember sitting in tears at the coffee counter and Linda taking the time to sit with me. She calmed me down, we talked about my anxiety around change and she gave me great tips on how to keep my mind clear when making my next step after college. Looking back it was a small problem to have but it felt so big to me at the time. She of course didn’t tell me this at the time but she was in the middle of an interview with Creative Loafing. She stopped what she was doing to be there for me – that’s the type of caring, person she was. I still have a copy of the article they wrote which ended with a mention of the girl who came in looking for help and Linda was there for her. Linda built an amazing community of support. I will forever admire her for that. It has been 15 years since that conversation with Linda but it has always stuck with. She left a lasting legacy and will be greatly missed.
Steve Hinsch
Courage begets Strength It took a minute. I was a wreck. Our dear friend was gone, and by his choice. And it was an ugly scream of his condition. We later found out that he had been off his meds, hiding them in his closet. Fuck.Me. His image still haunts me. I had to find out the “why”. I began my search online, and started to cruise the web. Survivors of Suicide, a phrase I’d never heard of, jumped out at me. I found a group in Athens. Nuçi’s Space. Kind of ironic, since I’d taken our son there to practice with his bandmates…FOR TWO YEARS. I’d take a book & wait for them, never paying any attention to the HUGE mural of Nuçi, bigger’n shit, on the wall. Idiot. So my first meeting, with a crowd of pensive, welcoming people, I was welcomed by Linda. I felt out of place, kinda like my first AA meeting, but Linda put me at ease quickly. I immediately felt she was NOT a new attendee. Before that meetings end, in my 50s, I cried like a baby. But not alone. She was so soft & cuddly! I would soon find that Pierre & K.P. were no different. Months later, I recall creating a list of names & email addresses of attendees. It was almost four pages long by the time I became a less frequent visitor. Times New Roman, twelve font. It was a shit ton of people. And I never scratched the surface. The lives the Phillips family has saved is immeasurable. Nuçi’s Space is like a free clinic for the afflicted. A tool shed. But man, I had no idea how deep that hurt runs. I greatly miss our “healer”. Broken hearts can be repaired Surrender to time is a most Take not likely, be not scared Just let Linda be your host
Kim Stockburger
In the very short time I knew Linda, she had the ability to make a major imprint on me as a person. My mother and I started attending the SOS meetings a few years after my brother's untimely death. My mom and Linda resonated, as they had both lost their son to suicide and I was grateful my mom had someone who she could talk to, would understand everything and then some because of this. However I also felt this connection with Linda. Linda encouraged me to speak, get it out, scream if I had to. And at a few meetings, I did-- and that was okay, because we all had been there, or would soon be in that same spot where we just needed to scream. Now, 22 years after my brothers passing I am able to listen, relate and empathize with siblings who no longer have a living sibling or a parent who no longer has their child. No one wants to be part of our club, nor do we want them to be, but should one need to be there, I believe that Linda gave us the tools to help our fellow man with encouragement, courage and love, to name a few. She was a one of a kind human being and this Earth was truly graced and blessed by her presence upon it and the legacy she left through Nuçi's Space and beyond. Thank you for allowing me to share my heartfelt thoughts on Linda. May her family continue the rest of their journey in peace knowing they now have 2 angels watching over them.
Brian Smith
I am so thankful for Linda. In the early days of Nuçi's Space, I had one of my first severe episodes dealing with my bi-polar disorder. As a musician, I didn't have money to afford counseling or medication and, as a newer Athenian, I wasn't sure where to go or who to turn to. I went to Nuçi's Space because I heard they offered help. Linda helped me get set up with counseling services through Family Counseling Center of Athens and also helped me find a Psych to get the medication I needed at the time and at an affordable rate. She called me several times throughout the experience and offered her kindness and encouragement and helped push me forward through the process. I owe her such a tremendous debt of gratitude. Thankfully, with her being there for me in a time of need, things went in a much more positive direction for me and helped me heal and recover. Linda has touched so many lives with her work. She left the world in a better place and I am so thankful that she was a part of my life. You will be sorely missed Linda. Thank you for everything you did for us all.
Evelyn Steadwell Temple
I am saddened to learn of Linda's passing, but I am happy to share my thoughts. She was a senior when I was a freshman at St. Joseph's School of Nursing. I will remember the dignity with which she carried herself and wore her uniform. She was poised and gracious to all. The example she set as a nurse is a credit to us all. Thank you Linda Sincerely.
Jim White
I arrived in Athens in late 2004, routed out of my home town of Pensacola, Florida by the massive devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan. At that point I was a single dad who knew not a soul here other than Vic Chesnutt, whom I’d toured with briefly the year before. I contacted Vic and he generously invited me and my daughter over to his house and gave us that lay of the land as far as Athens goes. So I’m pretty sure it was from Vic that I first learned about Nuçi’s Space. My ears perked up when I heard they offered free services for artists, as I was just getting by, had no health insurance and forever lived in fear of some preventable illness bringing ruination upon me and my child. There were no such services offered to artists in Pensacola, or any other city I’d ever spent time in for that matter, and the idea of such a place seemed, well, implausible, considering the lack of support for the arts in the South. But soon thereafter I suffered some hearing issues and so made use of their free medical screening. While there I first learned about the Camp Amped summer music program. My older daughter grew up in a true psychological pressure cooker, her mom regularly doing everything in her power to deny me any sort of foothold in our child’s world. Every visitation I got with my kid was contested, undermined, laid siege to. At age twelve my darling daughter started refusing to come to my house—and with such pressures being laid on her young shoulders, who can blame her? I became increasingly desperate to find some foothold to keep us together and so, even though she was not yet officially of age for the Camp Amped program, I signed her up and asked for a waiver on the age limit. To my surprise and relief, it was granted. And due to my financial limitations, they gave her a full scholarship. Thank you Nuçi’s Space. My daughter played piano passably at that point, but after a few days in camp, Dan Nettles, the lead instructor, contacted me asking why I hadn’t listed my daughter’s singing abilities on the admission form. I was perplexed, as I’d never once heard her sing. He told me she was a gifted vocalist and that they had her fronting both bands she was in. Wow! When she came back to my house after that first round of Camp Amped sessions she just glowed. She’d found her place in the scheme of things. Me being the parent who’d located this crucial outlet, her estimation of me seemed changed thereafter—you could see it in her eyes, hear it in her voice. She opened up to me more and more, and new channels of communication suddenly appeared where there was previously only distrust and distance. All changed thanks to Nuçi’s Space and Camp Amped. From then on out every summer I signed her up for Camp Amped, something I couldn’t have afforded but for the scholarships they offer to struggling artists like me. Over the ensuing years my daughter blossomed into a bonafide performer and she and I bonded over music in ways that allowed us to draw ever closer, creating bonds of trust and understanding that arrived just in the nick of time, as soon thereafter we would find ourselves navigating a terrifying mental health gauntlet. The incessant pressures of parental alienation my poor child had experienced over the previous decade came to a head in her teen years, leading to severe psychological issues. At age seventeen she suffered a bonafide mental health crisis, and as is often the case with troubled teens my daughter kept her struggles a secret. When I finally worked out what was going on behind the scenes it was clear that a major intervention was needed to literally save her life. The first thing I did was call Nuçi’s Space. And really, I feel fairly confident saying that this was the difference between life and death for my kid. Leslie Cobb helped guide me through the maze of local mental health options available, crisis centers that dealt with at-risk teens. I called them and one by one and laid out the story, and after hearing the extreme circumstances surrounding my daughter's struggles, every facility turned me down, saying quite simply this case was beyond their skill set and that I needed to have my child institutionalized. I’d just won full custody of her after ten full years of nightmarish legal battles, and buddy, the idea of then turning around and having her institutionalized seemed like a death nell for our relationship and for her ability to ever trust me again. I had nowhere to turn, so I called Nuçi’s back. Leslie regrouped and referred me to a psychiatrist they often worked with. I thanked her for the suggestion but told her I was stretched to the point of breaking financially and couldn’t afford a psychiatrist. Well, then Nuçi’s paid for my daughter’s treatment. Again, thank you Nuçi’s. With help from the psychiatrist Nuçi’s provided, we stabilized my daughter’s condition. We got her into regular counseling, again paid for by Nuçi’s Space, and the change in her behavior was dramatic. She later admitted that the week before the intervention she’d gone to a gun store to buy a pistol. She said she was buying it for self protection, but also admitted she was experiencing suicidal thoughts at that time. Her grandfather had committed suicide with a pistol, so by my reckoning help came just in the nick of time. Again, thank you Nuçi’s Space. Ten years down the line today my daughter now lives in Los Angeles. She’s a recording artist who’s just released her debut record. If you drive down Hyperion Avenue in the trendy Silverlake district of Los Angeles you can’t help but notice that huge billboard with her picture on it, her pet possum perched on her shoulder. She’s survived long enough to learn how to shine, to find her stride as a human being, and I’m fairly sure that would not have happened but for Nuçi’s Space. So again, thank you Nuçi’s Space. When I travel the world now, touring in countries far and wide, I often make mention of Nuçi’s Space, and of Linda Phillips’ courage and vision in creating it. I tell people from all walks of life that had my child not made it, I would likely have just curled up in a ball of depression and never reemerged. Linda didn’t do that. She reemerged. She decided to make a difference. And a difference she damn sure has made. Thank you Linda Phillips. I have seldom cried as hard as I did writing this letter. But thankfully it’s tears of gratitude flowing down my face. I wish there was a Nuçi’s Space in every city in the world—hat would be a fitting homage to the amazing, inspirational work Linda started. There’s a video of Willow from last month, posed in front of her billboard. Imagine that.
Laura Wilkerson
My first encounter with Linda was at my first Survivors of Suicide meeting in 2007. When I timidly walked into the Nuçi’s Space library and met Linda for the first time, I had no idea how the trajectory of my life would change. From the very beginning, Linda truly understood the complicated grief I felt over the loss of my brother, and she gave me the feeling that there was hope for a return to “normal”. She would always say “if love could have kept them here, they’d be alive right now.” I clung to that message then, and still do. Any time I am speaking with a fellow suicide survivor, Linda’s calm, caring voice echoes through my head and I pass along her compassionate words.
Linda saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself- potential to turn that grief into something positive, just as she had done. She and Bob offered me a position as an intern while I was in grad school, and eventually hired me as a full time employee. Through my role at Nuçi’s, I was able to raise money to help those struggling with mental illness, positively impact youth through Camp Amped, and serve the creative community in the most meaningful way I could imagine.
The large picture of Nuçi hanging in the building says “We are born/We live/We love/We die/ We return to star stuff/We continue…” I’m sure she had no idea how much those words would apply to her impact on the world. Linda was always made of star stuff, and she showed everyone that even in the darkest times, there can be light. Because of Linda Phillips, countless people (myself included) were able to find their light and pass on that hope to others. I guarantee that if you were able to flip a switch to darken the world and only see that light- that star stuff- that Linda passed on to everyone she met, it would look very similar to a starry night sky, with Athens being the biggest, brightest spot of all.
Anita Lock
Award-winning author Linda Phillips shares her journey from darkness into joy amid unspeakable grief in her poignant memoir.
“Suicide remains a silent neglected epidemic.”
While this terrifying fact is something mental health professionals have to contend with every day, the quote has a different impact upon those who have lost loved ones to this muted disease. One such person is Linda Phillips, who lost her youngest son, Nuçi, on Thanksgiving Day in 1996. Nuçi was twenty-two at the time that he decided to end his life. There are no appropriate words to describe the mental and emotional anguish a parent goes through when they lose their child. Nonetheless, Phillips finds a way not only to turn her darkness into joy amid unspeakable grief but also to capture her emotional upheaval after Nuçi's death aptly.
Opening on her wedding day, Phillips gives a glimpse of married life during the first few years. Marrying the man of her dreams is truly a freeing experience from her scarred and traumatic childhood. Surrounded by family riddled with mental illness of one form or other, Phillips determines early on not to follow in their footsteps. Pushing her troubled past deep in the recesses of her brain, Phillips is confident that her tainted childhood history will never rise and haunt her ever again, especially when her two beautiful boys, KP and Nuçi, enter the scene. Little does she know that genetics will come back to bite her, affecting her life in more ways than she could ever imagine.
Phillips is not one for mincing words. Her straightforward two-part narrative carries readers from a happy tight-knit family to one that suddenly gets thrown into the turbulence of Nuçi’s teen years and the first sign of mental illness, even though Phillips doesn’t recognize it until his later teens. Helplessness seems to be her trademark as she fails to reach out to him during a flurry of moody interludes. While her story leads up to that fateful 1996 day in part one, Phillips walks readers through the ordeal of figuring out a way to process Nuçi’s demise. After a two-year period of mourning, Phillips begins to look into mental health issues. Her words are profound:
“If the medication is the right one, energy levels may increase before the mood lightens. This is a period when the depressed person may regain the energy to take his/her own life. Therein lies—in my opinion—the Achilles Heel of treatment. Those waiting gaps, they need to be addressed.”
Phillips’ reasoning leads to the establishment of Nuçi’s Space, an adjunct to the treatment process.
With an overarching focus on suicide prevention, Nuçi’s Space’s emphasis is on musicians. Obviously, Nuçi was a musician. Beyond that, the community of Athens, Georgia—where he was attending college and eventually ended his life—is heavily based on music. As Phillips states, “Many musicians consider themselves somewhat disenfranchised from society. They struggle to make a living and more often than not have no medical or dental insurance. Society tends to look at what they do as fun rather than work. Many times, rather than receiving a paycheck, they’re paid with alcohol or drugs.”
Phillip’s story is nothing less than a gut-wrenching yet highly encouraging read. It is fitting to close with Phillip’s goal for writing A Beautiful Here: “I sincerely hope that anyone who reads this will never know intimately the horror and heartbreak of losing a loved one to suicide. But for those who do, I hope to offer a bit of solace and hope. There is a way to survive and even to flourish.”
Dave Schools
I’m so proud of what Nuçi’s Space has become. It’s a testament to the love Linda had for her son as well as the extraordinary strength of her vision for a place of coming together and healing. The valuable assets that Nuçi’s provides have always impressed me from the readily available mental health care and the communal spaces that foster fellowship like the rehearsal spaces, the performance stage, and the coffee bar to the amazing staff who are always friendly and knowledgeable. I have seen firsthand how the outreach of Camp Amped has positively impacted the lives of not only my local musician peers but also so many of Athens' children. The power of music to bring people together, raise awareness, and ultimately heal has never been lost on me and has certainly never been more apparent than at Nuçi’s Space. I wish every community had such a resource. Thank you Linda for sowing the seeds of healing from your tragic loss. I will always support what you started and its mission.
Shauna Harris
My name is Shauna H. I am 42 years old, alive and well. This is my Nuçi’s story of how Linda and Nuçi Phillips saved my life… I was 22 years old, living in Athens, working in the service industry and playing in bands. One night I was home alone, once again at a jumping off place, a danger to myself. I was clutching a bar napkin with a phone number and the word ‘help’ written on it that a friend had given me. It was 2am and the number went to a voicemail which I blubbered a message on. Within 5 minutes my phone rang. It was Linda. She called me back in the middle of the night and talked to me for hours. She talked to me until -she- felt like I was going to be safe until my appointment the following day with a psychiatrist and therapist. It was the sliver of hope I needed to stay alive. I will forever be grateful for her love. Through the years, I have reached out for help with my mental health whenever I have needed it and always I am greeted with love, understanding and convenient access to the resources I’ve needed.
I’ve had the privilege to be involved with Camp Amped at Nuçi’s Space as an instructor for over a decade. Passing on knowledge and tools for coping to young musicians that I wish I’d had brings me purpose and an extended family at Nuçi’s Space that I love dearly.
Because I received the help I needed I survived long enough to find my way to sober living and I am now living the life of my wildest dreams... And if and when I find myself on the edge again I know just who to call. Thank you, Linda, for everything.
Peter Alvanos
The one memory of Linda that stands out for me is her smile. As cliché as it may sound, it’s true. In the early days of Nuçi’s Space (where I would rehearse with my band) I would see Linda all the time. She would always take the time to say hello and ask how I was doing. Come to think of it, she always had a twinkle in her eyes.
I’m honored that I got to be a part of Nuçi’s Space and Camp Amped while Linda was there. And I’m grateful for our friendship. I felt like I always knew her.
To me, Linda is an angel. She turned an unimaginable tragedy into a safe haven for Athens, ga. and the music scene.
Jane Peach
Linda spoke at a Family Counseling Service staff meeting in early 2000. Her vision, passion and genuineness was moving and inspiring. A privilege to know her personally and professionally and through her Pierre and K.P. A beautiful family effort with Kathleen as well to celebrate their beloved Nuçi. So many came through my office after first a late night call to Linda always available to calmly and compassionately listen and fully present.
We shared sweet brief times in NYC reminiscing and sharing future plans. Linda’s positive energy and beautiful smile will always be with me as a reminder that what you focus on will grow.
Terrance Medina
Most jobs you will ever work at, they tell you that you are now part of "their
family". It's never true, they just want to make you feel guilty for taking
the occasional sick day. Nuçi's Space was the exception. I started working
there a year or two after moving to Athens, and it's the only job I've had that
truly felt like a family to me. And that's because Linda was everyone's Mom.
Nobody ever had to say "Welcome to the Nuçi's Space Family." When Linda brought
you into her family, you became "one of hers," and she watched after you like a
mother hen. Every time you saw her, she wanted to know -- "Are you eating
right? Don't eat too much junk!" and "I'll be keeping an eye on you!" Being
"one of hers" meant that she was always pushing you to be the best you could
be, while taking a genuine interest in your well-being.
A few years ago, I proudly introduced her to my daughter at the annual Nuçi's
Space birthday reunion. Linda's eyes got big and she swooped in, grabbed my
daughter up and starting dancing around the room with her. That's the image I
will always have of Linda -- like a proud grandma, delighting in whatever comes
next. You did well raising us Linda, and we won't ever forget you.
Sally Speed
From Albert Schweitzer:
"Remember you don't live in a world all your own."
Every story begins somewhere. I will start from the last page. It was in January, late afternoon that I got a call from Florida. "When I heard, the first person I thought of was you". I felt I had had just about
enough of grief, but I leaned in close and it did not kill me.
Some months into 2001, I am driving through downtown traffic to Nuçi's Space to meet Linda. In a small back room four desks were crammed edge to edge; one each for Bob, Will, Laura and Linda. The other wall was stuffed with equipment, things falling out of boxes, T-shirts, stickers and notebooks. All would become integral to the history of the space.
Linda was on the phone. She turned in the rolling chair, gave me that mega-watt smile and whispered "Just a minute more". That is how she worked. Without much space to breathe. "You must be Sally. Ok. Let's get started". From the opening days of Nuçi's Space we worked together doing what most thought was impossible. A lot of Crisis Intervention. 24/7. Calls to Atlanta late at night when Pierre would answer and say to Linda, "It's for you".
She was a powerful presence, sharp with a quick mind. Scratch the surface and stories would bleed out. We made mistakes. We got some things right. She was always moving toward the darkness with courage and compassion. I believe our work was instrumental in saving lives. These are stories I can not share.
The birth of Camp Amped was only a question of 'when' not 'if'. Going to the heart of the matter with talented kids was a monumental idea, and it worked.
On a hot night inside the space, I stood next to Linda in the back. Dan had assembled the whole lot of Camp Amped on stage. From The Rolling Stones unaccompanied by instruments, they began a cappella "You can't always get what you want...."
Spellbound, I held Linda's hand. She turned to me and said, "We did it".
Yes ma'am.
We did.
Andrew Shearer
I moved to Athens right after high school, and it was my first time being away from my family and living on my own. The staff at Nuçi's Space were the first friends I made in town, and they didn’t care that I was new to the city and knew absolutely no one. Linda was an immediate hero to me for what she created, but she was also the closest thing to a mother that I had nearby. Years later, long after all my bands had broken up, I stopped in to see her just to say hello and thank you. “You probably don’t remember me,” I said. Linda replied with, “Of course I do. I remember all my kids.”
Dave Chamberlin
Linda called me a few days after I found myself buried by anxiety and frozen in fear after finding myself in the midst of a personal crisis that caught me by surprise and turned my world upside down. I’m still not sure if she called by coincidence, intuition, or if someone tipped her off that I needed to hear from her. I assume it was the latter but some things are better left a mystery.
She was a calming force and offered to be with me in my pain and confusion, yet she was straight forward and cut through the clutter of my situation and lent me her determination while refusing to accept that my situation was something to just accept and live with. She gave concrete and clear advice on what next steps to take, yet it didn’t come off as “just pull yourself up by your bootstraps and get on with it”. She offered hope and clarity that I couldn’t see in the state of mind that I was in.
Linda could simultaneously embody what would appear to be opposing traits: firm/gentle, adamant/accommodating, patient/determined.
Linda had the gift to be with a person in crisis in such a compassionate way. She listened and offered support and solutions and a way forward without feeling like she was just trying to rush through the pain. It was a powerful and life altering experience that I hope I can offer to someone else in need someday. That’s what Nuçi’s Space offers to the community, and we can be comforted that Linda’s legacy lives on when we remember to follow her example.
Patterson Hood
It is nearly impossible to capture the impact Linda Phillips has had on my life in a few mere words. I never personally knew Nuçi but was a fan of his music before his untimely passing. I remember reading about what Linda was wanting to do with what became Nuçi’s Space several months before it opened and offered to try to help with fundraising early on, playing my first benefit of what is now a tradition lasting over two decades. I first met her in person sometime around that time (summer of 2000).
Around that same time, a friend of mine died of suicide and his girlfriend Rebecca (who was also a friend of mine) was in a very dark place. Linda personally helped guide Rebecca through the darkest hours of her life and away from her own thoughts of suicide. A year or so later we began dating and have now been together for twenty years, married the past seventeen with two beautiful children. Rebecca will always say that Linda Phillips saved her life.
Rebecca and I served on the Board of Directors of Nuçi’s Space for most of a decade, with Rebecca serving as President for three years. My band Drive-By Truckers has considered it our pet cause all of these years. It is probably still an understatement to say that we have received far more than we have ever been able to give.
Along the way, Linda has championed the health and well-being of my family and my band in ways that go far beyond what I can say here. Her passing has been a tough blow to us all, but we plan to continue to honor her memory by doing all we can do to support Nuçi’s Space and its mission.
Rebecca Hood
It is hard for me to put words to the profound loss of Linda Phillips and what she has meant to me & will continue to mean to me. I was devastated to hear the news of her passing from her year long battle with pancreatic cancer, though I knew this news was coming for a couple of months. It’s now been 8 months since she left her body here on earth but her presence in my life remains as I’m sure it does for so many.
In August of 2000 just as Linda, her family & her new director Bob Sleppy were opening the doors to Nuçi’s Space for the 1st time, my boyfriend took his life & I was destroyed; making plans to do the same. Then a friend found out about Linda & Nuçi’s Space & arranged for me to meet with her. During our initial meeting she gave me her # to call her no matter the day/time. And there were many instances that I did just that, even in the middle of the night when I was otherwise alone. For several weeks I met with her every Wednesday when she would make the 90 min trip from her home in Atlanta to Nuçi’s Space in Athens. I attended the Survivor of Suicide (SOS) monthly meetings that she personally ran for about a year. Eventually the will to live returned & SO much of that was because of Linda, her counsel, inspiration, love & eventual friendship. I truly wouldn’t be here without her & all that she did to save me in my darkest days 21 years ago. Everything I have I owe to her. My very life, and my ability to love & be loved by my amazing husband & our kids, our extended family & friends is a direct result of her taking the time to show me that the strength I didn’t know I had WAS within me. She showed me my worth until I could feel it on my own. Her loving ability to give me the support I needed, while also being tough enough on me to call me on my shit (which helped me to be accountable & brutally honest) eventually led to me treating myself with more patience & love. She helped me see that my previous boyfriend’s decision to end his life wasn’t my fault. And that I couldn’t have saved him. She often said that Nuçi’s Space probably wouldn’t have saved Nuçi but it will & has saved so many others. She showed me my worth & that I wasn’t “damaged goods”. I had value to my life & I had gifts & love still in me to give to others & eventually our community. She has been a treasured friend ever since.
There were a few times in the years that followed that she would take the time to reach out to check in on me, whether it be by phone, email, at my Athens home or at the Space. She always had a way of reading me easily & she instinctively seemed to know when I was struggling with something. There is no telling how many 1’000’s of people this saintly woman has helped in her life. First in her long career as an RN in Atlanta before spending her “retirement years” opening Nuçi’s Space and working tirelessly for many years to get it self sustainable with a dedicated staff in Bob’s capable hands as well as it’s hand picked Board of Directors.
16 months after the death of my boyfriend I was in a much better place, albeit still fragile, & started dating a musician with a big heart that I had been friends with for 6 1/2 years. He was also friends with my former boyfriend so he knew well what I had been through. He felt safe & familiar with our shared interests & values. It was because of Linda that I was able to believe I was worthy & accept a healthy love into my life. She already knew Patterson as he was an early supporter & she loved us being together. When we were planning our 2004 wedding & reception there was never any question that Nuçi’s Space would be a part of our celebration & the official start of our new life together. We had our ceremony & small reception for family & close friends at another location, Linda & Pierre were there. But after we had an amazing wedding night reception with so many of our friends at Nuçi’s w/ several of our favorite friend’s bands playing until the wee hours.
Once I was stronger I knew I had to give back & I would help with outreach & fundraising efforts. Patterson’s band the Drive-by Truckers had been doing benefit shows for Nuçi’s since the band’s early days and even before Linda had the building. But as the band’s popularity grew we knew that the impact that they could have for Nuçi’s could also grow. Every music community needs a place like Nuçi’s & sadly at the time that Linda was developing her ‘crazy idea’ she couldn’t find anything anywhere to model it after. So the band set a yearly date to have what they dubbed their “homecoming” shows at our favorite venue, the Fabulous 40 Watt club benefiting Nuçi’s Space. And I went to work to have a music memorabilia auction at the Space so that out-of-town fans would get to see what Nuçi’s Space was all about. It’s really a place that you have to experience 1st hand to see how it works.
In the beginning of the auctions & for several years Patterson & I would reach out to so many artists we knew across the country to ask for a donation of signed CD’s, Vinyl, posters, photographs, books, one of a kind art, etc. Several years ago the band’s amazing fans we all lovingly call “HeAthens” (after one of Patterson’s songs) thankfully took it over & now the auction, mostly filled with fan’s DBT related artwork, fills several rooms at the space & brings in so much more. They also sell a warm meal at the auction to the 100’s of DBT fans that fill the small, but growing space proceeds going to Nuçi’s of course. Their fans from all over return every year for the DBT homecoming & keep Nuçi’s Space in their hearts all year long. For this, I am so grateful.
In late 2007 Linda asked Patterson & I to join the Board of Directors. And shortly after asked me to be the Board Secretary which I was reluctant to accept but Linda had it in her head that I needed to fill the role & it was hard to tell her no. She had a vision for me that I couldn’t yet see. I would later serve as Board Vice President & finally the Board President, along with chairing & being on numerous committees. Leaving Nuçi’s Space was towards the top of a long list of hard things to leave behind when our family moved to Portland OR in June of 2015. It has been one of my life’s biggest honors to know Linda, love & be loved by her and to have helped her in her mission of making a difference for musicians in Athens and beyond.
Dear Linda, you have made such a difference to so many. I am beyond thankful for all you have done to give me a life again so long ago. Everything I have & love in my life is because you gave me the strength & inspired me to stay. I am so thankful for all you have done for me, my family, some close friends, the community of Athens & so many others. I will treasure you, our friendship, the inspiration you exuded & all you created w/ your enormous heart & fierce determination till my last days.
This is a profound loss for me, Patterson & all that knew her in the Athens music scene & beyond. But Linda has now returned to “star stuff” as she always said. And I’d like to think her talented son Nuçi was there to welcome her and they are now shining bright together continuing to inspire us here on earth. Everyone needs a Linda Phillips in their life & every music community needs a place like Nuçi’s Space. I have no doubt that the music community of Athens will nourish & protect it for decades to come. Nuçi, Nuçi’s Space & Linda will live on through all that they help & inspire.
Virginia Roberts
I could not imagine how his mother could survive such loss. More than survive, Linda and Pierre gave strength and love to the community through the creation of Nuçi’s Space.
I remember the afternoon Linda said she was thinking of doing something for the musicians like Nuçi in Athens. “ I always worried that they were having to practice in empty warehouses with no heat on lonely nights”, she said. When she doubted her vision I remember we repeated “If not Now, when?” I added, “If not you, who?”
From that afternoon on, putting one foot in front of the other, she made her hopes into reality. She found an old warehouse next to REM’s practice tower in Athens and then found psychiatrists and counselors to be available within 48hrs. for anyone needing that kind of help. She got some instrument makers to donate to the Space, created good practice rooms for bands and individuals. She and her hand-picked staff encouraged musicians to use the stage for wonderous concerts.
Nuci would have found the atmosphere warm, cheerful, and extremely available. She talked to families who were suffering from a loss by suicide, even set up groups to share support.
Once a young woman friend of Nuçi’s came to Linda and asked “how could he have done this to you?” Without a pause she answered with her sweet smile, “He didn’t do anything to me. Nuçi stayed with us as long as he could”.
Bob Sleppy
In October 1999 I knew very little about Nuçi’s Space, outside of an occasional headline in the local press or hearing friends talk about it around town. Despite the lack of details, I thought I knew the basics. Nuçi, a fellow musician in town had taken his own life a few years back in 1996 and his family wanted to build a rehearsal space in his memory. Immediately I thought it was a great idea. My experience with rehearsal spaces up to this point consisted of a wide array of old, dilapidated buildings or make-shift space in a rental house. Neither were ideal.
While taking a break during an evening shift at the Last Resort Grill, a coworker asked what I was doing after work. In addition to a few interesting shows, he mentioned there was a benefit for Nuçi’s Space at the 40 Watt Club that evening. Since my path home passed in front of the club, I decided to stop in to check things out.
I pushed through the double doors of the 40 Watt and saw David Barbe and Daniel Hutchens on stage performing. While waiting at the bar an elaborate display near the coat-check caught my eye. Eventually I paid for my beer and made my way over to the display to start reading.
• Every 42 seconds someone in this country attempts suicide.
• Every 16.7 minutes someone completes a suicide.
• Over 85 people a day die by suicide.
The statistics continued for another 8 or 9 lines. Having lost a close friend to suicide in 1992, these numbers had a profound effect on me. As I learned more about Nuçi’s story and the Phillips’ plans for Nuçi’s Space I began to see myself, my friends, and fellow musicians within their vision. Nuçi’s Space was going to be much more than just a rehearsal space. Excited about what I had just discovered, I took a piece of literature with an email address on it before I left the club. The email address belonged to Linda Phillips.
After a couple of months and several dozen email exchanges, Linda invited me to share in her vision for Nuçi’s Space, offering me the position of Executive Director in December 1999. Less than a year later, under the guidance and unyielding determination of Linda Phillips, Nuçi’s Space opened its doors on September 30th, 2000.
For over a decade, before she retired to New York in 2009, Linda drove 70 miles from her home in Atlanta to Nuçi's Space several days a week. She would spend her days meeting with musicians who were seeking support and comfort. Linda became a dear friend and fierce advocate for those who opened themselves up to her kindness. It was common, following a full workday and the long return trip home, she would retreat to her home office and continue to make and receive calls from "my musicians," as she likes to refer to our clients.
Linda led by example. She was a stalwart advocate for those who suffer from brain illness and worked tirelessly to prevent suicide. She was a survivor in every sense of the word. Although it was not an easy decision to step back from her role at Nuçi’s Space, she understood the need for the organization evolve. She had laid a solid foundation and was leaving the day-to-day in good hands. I continue to be amazed at her strength and courage. After her move she stayed in close contact with everyone at Nuçi’s Space; offering a caring ear, thoughtful advice, and clarity of purpose when needed. Although 800 miles would separate her from Nuçi’s Space, Linda’s thoughts and heart were felt within our walls everyday – and will continue to be.
Linda and I shared a love of writing. Thankfully she finished her first book “A Beautiful Here” in 2016. It’s a memoir of her experience with Nuçi through his battle with clinical depression and her grieving process following his death by suicide at the age of 22. The latter part of the book shares the inspiration for her creation of Nuçi’s Space and mission to prevent suicide. Prior to her diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in late-December 2019, Linda shared with me that she had started to write a second book. She never shared with me the subject matter but I’m confident the goal was to help others.
I was fortunate to have spent a few days with Linda and her family about a month prior to her passing in January 2021. Although it was evident that the cancer and treatment had ravaged her body and slowed her incredible mind, her sweet smile and sense of humor were still intact. At one point in our visit, Linda held my hand and confessed, with regretful acceptance, that she wouldn’t be able to finish her writing. Looking into my eyes, she said softly and confidently, “Darling, it’ll be up to you to finishing writing our story.”
Although it’s easy to take her direction literally, I like to interpret those words more broadly, to include all of us who champion awareness and treatment of brain illness, with kindness, empathy, and care for our fellow human beings. That is the legacy of Linda Phillips, and it will be the responsibility of those who knew her and are inspired by her work to “finish writing the story” – chapter by chapter, until it is complete.
Jeff Tobias
Linda Phillips impacted my life on macro and micro levels. On a macro level, she was an example of how someone can create something huge. Nuçi's Space touched the lives of nearly everyone in the musical community in Athens when I lived there, filling a gap left open by the unavailability of private and public medical services. On the micro level, she took time out of her schedule to help me to understand how to better help those in my life who were struggling with their health. It would be a challenge for me to think of anyone else who has done more to improve the lives of their community. She was a saint in the truest sense of the word and I am honored and uplifted to have known her.
Jeff Griggs
My Linda Phillips story is not unique. I'm certain that plenty of people who have called Athens their home in the last 20-odd years could tell it. I didn't know Linda very well. We met in the early-2000s and talked a handful of times through the years at Nuçi's Space and at various Nuçi's Space-related events. I wouldn't guess that she knew my name. If she ever did, it probably wasn't for very long. I don't know if she would have recognized me if we passed each other on the sidewalk. She didn't know the names of my bands or the places where I worked. She didn't know much about me at all. But she cared about me. She cared a lot about me. Linda cared a lot about me when I didn't care about myself. Linda helped save my life. Wherever she is now, I know that she still cares about me. And guess what! She cares about you too. She cares a lot about you.
Barbara King
My memories of Linda Vermillion Phillips go back to our all-female Catholic high school days in the 1960s in Savannah. Uniform regulations were strict. The nuns were concerned that hairstyles would be compatible with our new Navy beanies--not too long or wild.
Linda, in one of her first acts of rebellion, went in the other direction. Overnight she adopted her Audrey Hepburn hairstyle and got in trouble because her hair was too short to show under the beanie.
During the summer of our Junior year, Linda and I and four classmates were sent to Washington, D.C. for a month-long journalism course at the Catholic University.
That was Linda's first taste of life in a big city.
Writing and a love of adventure developed as we studied during the week, and rode in paddle boats on the Potomac and ogled the midshipmen at Annapolis on the weekend.
In our senior year my friend, Eddie Pigman, said he had a shy friend who did not have a date to the prom. I told him I had a very attractive friend who wasn't dating anyone special.
Never has a blind date worked as well as when Pierre Phillips met Linda Vermillion.
Despite the fact the power went off in Savannah on the hot July date of their Cathedral wedding, Mr. and Mrs. Phillips began a lifetime of love.
(PHOTO taken at the Saint Vincent's Academy Class of 1963 fiftieth year reunion in 2013, Barbara Dlugozima King and Linda Vermillion Phillips)
Will Kiser
Linda Phillips was not a regular person.
She had a different aura than most - you could meet her and just immediately know that she wasn't like Other People.
I experienced this for the first time when I wrote about the opening of Nuçi's Space for the school newspaper. I was instantly enthralled by her energy and her mission.
I graduated, moved to Atlanta but I wanted to be back in Athens and I wanted to be involved with Nuçi's Space. On a whim I wrote her an email saying "let me know if you ever hear about any jobs opening up in Athens" and she wrote back immediately and said "let's talk." That night I drove to Athens to see a show at the 40 Watt and I was walking down Hull Street, turned a corner and bumped directly into Linda. She let me be a part of her world and she changed my life and I will never be the same.
The interesting thing is - my story isn't that unusual. You'll meet a lot of people in Athens who will say that she came into their life at a point when they needed someone like Linda in their life. It was just magical, we'll all say.
We'll say that we just walked into the Space one day and she gave us a hug, and she believed in us and she helped us.
We'll all say that it seemed like she pulled us in before we even realized we needed her because she was magnetic and cosmic. I will miss her everyday.
Sheila and Jeff Lichtman
Linda and Pierre were our first friends when we moved to Atlanta in 1977. Pierre and Jeff worked together at the VA Hospital and quickly invited us to their home on Oxford Road for a gourmet dinner worthy of five Michelin stars. There were many, many more such dinners over the years. Since then, we have shared numerous wonderful times together, such as trips to Alaska, Antarctica, China (with Cecelia and Carlos Ordonez) and the south of Spain. And, also, some not-so-wonderful times.
When Linda and Pierre founded Nuçi’s Space, we (Sheila and Jeff) thought it would be worthwhile if even one young person could be helped. However, over the years, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of young people have been helped due to the vision of Linda and Pierre. Linda was a shining star who will always glow in our hearts.
WIth love, from Sheila and Jeff
