“Depression doesn’t care how smart you are, how high you can jump, how much money you have, whether you can make people laugh, or design incredible hand bags. It will rob you of all the beauty you once felt. So it’s crucial we recognized the monster and thief that it is, and fight each day to not let it win. Do all that you can-seek help through therapy, friends, meditation, yoga, whatever. Do everything you can and if it doesn’t work, try again. Be relentless in your fight against it. But also know that victory can be slow and nonlinear. And sometimes you just need to make it through a day, an hour, a minute.” — Jill Nagle, New Jersey

“The real tragedy is Kate Spade felt that by seeking treatment for her mental illness she might do damage to her ‘brand.’ By putting her business first and her mental health second, she inadvertently allowed her mental illness to control her life and to, ultimately, consume her … The shame of this talented woman’s death is on us as a society and a reminder that we can do better for our weakest citizens.” — Pamela L., Burbank, Calif.

“She suffered so privately. I’ve always loved her brand. She’s always made me happy. It’s beautiful and uplifting.” — Margaret Wooten, 48, North Carolina

“My first ‘real’ handbag when I began working in the male-dominated world of finance was a Kate Spade. It was the marker of being a grown-up, and for someone who was the child of immigrants and the first person in my family to work in a formal business environment, owning one of these bags was a badge of honor and made me feel like I belonged to this very intimidating and foreign world. As I write this now, I carry with me every day a Kate Spade purse, wallet, and phone case. My purse is one of her whimsical designs, and strangers will often stop me in the street when they see it. It makes people smile, from children to adults — even people who don’t speak the same language as I do … Mental illness is a silent, lonely killer and affects people from all walks of life, in all kinds of circumstances, whether rich or poor, old or young. This is a reminder for us to be kinder to those in our lives, to be ever watchful for signs, and to always be there for those we love. And please, if you feel hopeless, reach out. Find someone who will listen to you and help you before it’s too late. No one has to suffer alone.” — Dottie, San Francisco, Calif.