Tennessee lawmaker tweets cellphone number, offers to talk to anyone ‘overwhelmed’ by pandemic

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) on Monday said anyone feeling “overwhelmed or scared” by the coronavirus is free to call him on his cellphone.

The freshman lawmaker tweeted his phone number and encouraged constituents and others to call him, even if they just want someone to talk to during the crisis.

“If you feeling overwhelmed or scared and just want to talk to somebody give me a call. This is my cell # 865-978-1822 . We will get through this together,” he tweeted along with a video.

If you feeling overwhelmed or scared and just want to talk to somebody give me a call. This is my cell # 865-978-1822 . We will get through this together. pic.twitter.com/YbIlBoj2fn

— Tim Burchett (@timburchett) March 30, 2020

The Tennessee Republican noted the number of suicides that have taken place in his state since the start of the pandemic and said he is willing to talk to anyone in need.

“I know everybody is under a lot of pressure right now with what’s going on with the coronavirus. If you’re feeling all that pressure, it’s getting to you — you know, in the last little bit here, we’ve had nine people in our community who’ve taken their life, and that’s a horrible, horrible thing, somebody taking their own life. If you feel like you’re going to hurt yourself or maybe hurt somebody around you, why don’t you all just call me, and let’s talk,” he said in the video.

Burchett said he’s willing to speak to people anonymously and to individuals who live outside his congressional district.

“If I can’t help you, I’ll get you to somebody who can. If you have a question, dealing with your disability or anything else you’re dealing with, congressional stuff, just call our Knoxville office, and we’ll try to keep this line free,” he added. “Together we’re going to get through this folks, just hang in there.”

Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs said said that more Tennesseans died from suicide last week than of the coronavirus, The Tennessee Star reported.