by Judy H.
Note: Our June newsletter published a story “Dennis: A Can-Do Kind of Guy” who died by suicide. A group of Highland Park residents are remembering Dennis through newsletter articles to share information about mental health. This article is published with permission from the author, Judy H. If you or someone you know is struggling, please call Talk Suicide at 1-833-456-4566 or Calgary Distress Centre at 403-266-4357. You can also visit Calgary Centre for Suicide Prevention at www.suicideinfo.ca.
On March 12, our neighbour, Dennis Jonk did not get to grow old because he died by suicide. A group of his neighbours have restored an old park bench from his yard. We are installing it soon at the hall, in his memory, facing the summer play area and in wintertime, the skating rink. Dennis loved being with children but never had any of his own.
Prevention begins with us. We validate the enormity of his pain and his desperate need for relief, but we also want to provide information on suicide prevention resources in the coming months.
We are hoping that kids, young people of our community, can take time to sit and share on this little park bench.
We invite you to enjoy Dennis’s Bench and let it remind you to ask your neighbours “How are you really doing?” Let’s not stop at “Okay” or “Busy”!
We all need and crave human connections to be mentally healthy.
Local Contact: Calgary Centre for Suicide Prevention at www.suicideinfo.ca
Crisis Talk line: 1-833-456-4566
Distress Centre: 403-266-4357
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