NEW YORK , NY, UNITED STATES, February 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Jimmy Greene, widely known as “The Hope Guy,” recently appeared as a featured guest on Times Square Today. He spoke candidly about mental health, resilience, and how vulnerability can help heal individuals, families, and communities.
Speaking with host Bob Guiney in Times Square, Greene reflected on over 30 years as a crisis intervention counselor, supporting people facing depression, addiction, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. Instead of framing hope as an abstract or motivational idea, Greene described it as deeply practical rooted in shared experience, honesty, and human connection.
“Hope isn’t just a word,” Greene explained. “It stands for Hold On, Possibilities Exist. People start to believe that again by hearing each other’s stories. When you realize you’re not alone, something starts to change.”
Greene shared how his calling to serve others began in an unexpected place. After spending two years studying for the Catholic priesthood, he chose a different path. This led him into emergency room crisis counseling. Though he never became ordained, Greene described the work as deeply vocational, shaped by presence, listening, and service.
“I always say I became an undercover priest,” he said. “Without the collar, I was able to sit with people in moments of real crisis and meet them exactly where they were.”
Throughout the conversation, Greene spoke openly about the emotional toll of decades spent absorbing other people’s pain. He remembered long shifts in hospital emergency rooms, often staying past his scheduled hours to make sure patients were safe. Over time, that unprocessed weight built up and eventually led to a period of severe depression that nearly cost him his life.
“There was a time when it was all I could do to drive my wife to work and my kids to school,” Greene said. “I was swallowing depression every day. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the support of my family and the willingness to finally accept help.”
Guiney noted how powerful it was to hear such vulnerability from someone often perceived as strong and unshakable. “You’re a Jersey guy, a former football player,” he said. “People expect toughness. But seeing you speak this openly gives others permission to say, ‘Maybe I don’t have to carry this alone.”
Greene emphasized that mental health struggles are not signs of weakness, but deeply human responses to pain, loss, and pressure. Drawing from his clinical experience, he explained that shame and guilt often do more damage than the conditions themselves. Such emotions cause individuals to withdraw and remain quiet at times when connection is most essential.”
“The depression is hard,” he said. “But the shame that comes with it, the feeling you’re failing your family or should be able to handle it, that’s what traps people. That’s why these conversations matter.”
The interview also highlighted Greene’s belief in mentorship and shared stories as catalysts for recovery. He described moments when former patients reached out years later to say his presence during a crisis helped save their lives. He receives these stories with humility, not pride.
“I was just a conduit,” Greene said. “My job was to help people get through the night, to get them to safety. The healing belonged to them.”
Greene spoke about how his personal journey reshaped his understanding of success and purpose, leading him to fully embrace the identity of “The Hope Guy.” For him, the title is not about recognition, but responsibility. It’s a reminder that hope endures when we listen, show up, and extend compassion.
“When I speak or coach, it’s not about me,” he said. “It’s about helping someone get from where they are to where they need to go. That’s the mission.”
Guiney reflected on the steadiness behind Greene’s message. “Listening to you today gives people hope,” he said. “Not in a superficial way, but in a way that feels real and reachable.”
As the conversation closed, Greene emphasized that healing begins with acceptance, of oneself, of support, and of the truth that no one is meant to navigate life alone. He described peace as something that starts within and gradually extends outward, strengthening families and communities.
“The world doesn’t need perfection,” Greene said. “It needs people who are willing to be honest, to listen, and to help each other heal.”
About Jimmy Greene:
Jimmy Greene, known as “The Hope Guy,” is a mental health advocate, speaker, and former crisis intervention counselor with over 30 years of experience supporting people facing depression, anxiety, addiction, and emotional trauma. Drawing from both professional expertise and personal experience, Greene shares stories that normalize vulnerability and encourage healing through connection, mentorship, and compassion. His work focuses on helping people rediscover hope, resilience, and purpose during life’s most difficult moments.
Katie Tschopp
Astonish Entertainment
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