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Mother helps others through her own loss by Abigail Cukier Special to the Beaver 13 | Friday, May 9, 2014 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com After Lynn Keane's son died, she promised herself that if she survived, she would help others. "I thought, `if I make it through, I need to share this experience.' The crime and the horror of it is that we couldn't help him," says the Oakville resident. "That is why I went to writing, to allow others to walk with us, to understand it. "We can change the stigma of mental illness and suicide through education and finding the vocabulary to allow people to come forward and say `I am not right and I don't know why.'" Keane's son Daniel died by suicide in April 2009. He had turned 23 a month earlier. After Daniel went away to Ottawa for university, he started drinking and missing classes. In 2006, he became more distant. "He was changing, but he was growing. I didn't think he was a candidate for depression. He came home and ran a summer business. We thought he was doing well at school. We thought things had changed. We don't always look in the dark corners." Daniel wasn't sleeping well at night and he lost weight. "Taken on their own, we didn't know the pain our son was in," Keane said. "Looking back, there were opportunities to look at close-knit, loving family. Keane and her husband, Patrick also have two daughters, Aimee, 25, and Emily, 20. "People were astounded. They saw us as a unit of five. It was a good life. I loved being with them. We had our ups and downs but the kids always chose to be with us, to spend free time with us. It's why the loss was so great," she said. Keane describes her son as a fearless athlete with "such a sense of humour." He could make her laugh at any moment. "He was our family fixer. He would fix the tech stuff, but also, he hated to see people suffer. Once, I was training for a marathon see There on p.16 VISIT OUR WEDNESDAY, Open House on May 14 AT HSC, I STAND TALL. Lynn Keane things. We never drilled down to get at the core of things and it's hard for young people to say `I am in trouble,' especially young males. "It is so complex why someone struggles with suicidal thoughts. There are not three or four signs that say this is what is happening." Keane said relatives and friends were shocked by Daniel's death because of his This school has built my confidence. My friends and teachers really care about me. When I walk into school every day I feel at home." - Current HSC Student Hillfield Strathallan College is an independent day school for Montessori Toddler and Pre-Kindergarten students to Grade 12. Visit us at www.hsc.on.ca. Now accepting applications for September 2014. Call Scott Barton 905-389-1367 CREATE YOUR DREAM h t a B r o n e Kitch Pre-K to Grade 12 Reading Writing Math Study Skills French SAT/ACT Prep Oxford Learning is... A Smarter Full Day Summer Camps available at Oakville North location. Summer Whether your child needs to catch up or get ahead this summer, Oxford Learning can help! All Ages. All Grades. All Subjects. Enrol Today! 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE | QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP | CUSTOM DESIGNS Call for a Free Estimate oxfordlearning.com 905-844-3332 Visit our showroom: 333 Wyecroft Rd. Unit 3, Oakville www.aromakitchens.ca Oakville South Oakville North Oakville North East 905.849.4027 905.469.1929 905.616.9444