Cindy Greer will be once again be taking part in Fifth Annual Run for Life 2022 in honour of her son this September.
“Andrew was my son and he died by suicide,” wrote Greer in a e-mail to Today’s Northumberland.
The run is organized by the Centre for Suicide Prevention and it’s about bringing awareness and attention to suicide. It’s about ending the stigma attached to the word Suicide.
Andrew was 26-years-old when he took his life.
“Another year has passed and here I am once again participating in the Centre for Suicide Prevention’s Run for Life 2022 in memory of my son.”
“He was my baby, my youngest of three children who was outgoing, funny, handsome and loved beyond measure.”
But Greer said, “none of that matters when someone struggles with mental illness and feels that there is no other way. They feel no one can help them and they just want to end their pain.”
“He had the world at his hands and family and friends that loved him dearly and he still lost his personal inner battle.”
Andrew’s cousin, Dakotah Herron is also taking part in the event this year along with Greer’s partner Joe.
“Too often I hear about the heart breaking news of people taking their own lives and too often I feel that there is just so much more that we – as a society and as people – need to be doing about it,” said Dakotah.
Reflecting on the statistic that an average of 10 Canadians die by suicide each day, Dakotah said it breaks his heart.
“That is (more than) ten parents, children, relatives, friends, partners, coworkers (etc.) every single day that could not find the light at the end of their tunnel and could see peace in only one way.”
Dakotah said there isn’t a day goes by that he wonders what he could have done differently to help his cousin.
“Or how this could happen to one of the kindest, most gentle people I have ever known. While I recognize the existence of suicide grief -the feeling and wondering about what you could have done to prevent it- and work on that every day, I also recognize the areas in everyday life that can be fixed and changed to support our loved ones and people around us that may be suffering and struggling. I do not have a magic wand that can erase the pain of everyone suffering, but what I do have is an aching but loving heart, a set of ears, a pair of shoulders, a number to contact and a strong will to do everything I can to shine a light into the darkest of corners.”
The Centre for Suicide Prevention is a branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association and is based in Calgary, Alberta.
Their mission is to educate to save lives through suicide prevention by equipping people with the knowledge and skills to respond to those considering suicide.
The virtual Run for Life takes place virtually from September 18-25, 2022.
All information is https://www.suicideinfo.ca/runforlife/
About the Centre for Suicide Prevention : https://www.suicideinfo.ca/
About suicide https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/suicide-prevention/about-suicide.html
To donate to the “House Greer in Memory of Andrew” team, in honour of Andrew (Boo) Greer: https://raceroster.com/events/2022/58949/run-for-life-2022/pledge/team/416959.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
