Rob Dart is a brilliant 44-year-old man with a good heart. He is also one of tens of millions of Americans whose lives and families have been devastated by a mental health crisis.

“If he had cancer, it would be so much easier,” Rob’s older sister, Jennifer Dart, told The Stream. “Cancer is horrible, but it’s worse when you can’t help the person.”

It hurts to write this column because I’ve known Rob for 35 years. He is without question one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. From our third-grade class at Louise Archer Elementary until our last day of high school in the Washington, D.C. suburb of Vienna, Virginia, there was never any doubt in my mind that Rob would enjoy tremendous success.

He did. After we graduated from James Madison High School in 1997, Rob went on to Duke University and then the University of Chicago Law School. We didn’t keep in close touch during that timeframe, but when we eventually reconnected years later on Facebook and LinkedIn, his accomplishments were thoroughly unsurprising. Everyone knew that Rob was destined for greatness.