About Blue Bee Project
The Blue Bee Project was created after the loss of our precious 15-year-old son, Nathan Lee Montez Jr., to suicide on January 26, 2024.
We never imagined suicide would touch our family. Nathan was always smiling, cracking jokes, whistling, and seemed like your typical teenage boy. Life felt good; we thought.
What we didn’t see was how much he was carrying on his own. Now, we share Nathan’s story and our experience to help others recognize hidden struggles, start conversations, and remind those who are hurting that they are not alone.
Today, Blue Bee Project supports teens and young adults through mental health and suicide prevention awareness, offering scholarships, and helping families find support when they need it most.
Our Mission: To help teenagers and young adults recognize their value and know they are not alone through mental health awareness, suicide-prevention education, scholarships, and community support.
The name Blue Bee Project comes from Nathan’s love of bees and his favorite color, blue. Our logo is a blue bee shaped like a semicolon, which represents the choice to keep going. The bee reflects the strength of community and the reminder that no one is meant to carry life’s challenges alone.
Fun fact: Blue bees are real, and some can even be found in parts of the United States. We like to think Nathan would have loved that.
Building Hope Against Suicide
Behind every number is a life, a family, and a story that matters — especially for teens, high school students, and young adults.
In 2023, 39.7% of U.S. high school students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.
Source: CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2023
Keep Exploring Blue Bee Project
Learn more through our resources, reflections, scholarships, and ways to support the mission in Nathan’s memory.