Matthew Mahrer and Christopher Brown, two young men living with mental illness, were arrested in 2022 for planning to carry out a mass shooting at a synagogue. The arrest rattled the Jewish community and shed light on the failings of the mental health care system. Matthew and Christopher both struggled with various diagnoses and had been failed by institutions that were meant to help them. However, since their arrest, both have made progress in receiving proper psychiatric care and therapy. Matthew, in particular, has found a sense of purpose in helping others and hopes to use his experiences to prevent others from going down a similar path.