As I spoke with Sarah-Jane Sajatovich about her brother, I knew it was going to be a long week.
Anthony Nauss, Mel Balcom, Garret Conway and Kingston Desmond — four different people with a similar story. All four had gone to an emergency room in Nova Scotia more than once, were turned away and eventually took their lives.
How easy it was to find people who have died by suicide in Nova Scotia in the past year stunned me.
I, too, lost a friend to suicide when I was in high school. I still have questions, but they’ll never be answered.
What’s different now is suicide survivors are openly talking about mental health and advocating for change.
The families didn’t have anything to hide. They weren’t ashamed; they were just sad. Whether it was in person, on the phone or by video chat, the interviews never got easier. I can still hear the pain in each person’s voice.
By the end of the week, I was completely drained, but I know it’s nothing compared to what their families and friends have gone through.
After the article appeared, I was flooded with messages — from strangers, family, friends and health-care professionals. But what stood out to me the most was when the families said I did their loved ones justice.
The article can’t bring Anthony, Mel, Garret or Kingston back, but hopefully it can prevent others from suffering.
Let's keep the conversation going.
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