‘The mask is off’: Former police officer shaves beard in battle with PTSD

WATCH: A former Toronto cop encourages others not to give up and says help is out there. Mark Carcasole catches up with Drew Dunning.

TORONTO  – They say a good, close shave, and a new haircut can make you feel like a new man.

Drew Dunning just wants to get back to being the man he once was. Slowly, but surely, he’s reaching that goal. It’s the accomplishment of a goal he set for himself nearly a full month ago that is helping him take the next step.

Dunning was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder during his 15-year career with the Toronto Police Service.

He shared his struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder with the world through a Facebook post in February and described the day he almost brought it all to an end.

“I took my service issued gun while I sat in my scout car and prepared to take my own life,” he wrote on Facebook. “But I did not, instead I sat and cried and phoned for help; help that is there for everyone.”

A picture attached to the posting showed Dunning sporting a thick, shaggy beard he’d grown since that day. He called it his “mask.” A way to hide his inner conflict.

READ MORE: 16×9 looks at the the PTSD crisis among Canada’s first responders

Dunning’s Facebook post kicked off a new social media campaign he calls “Unmask PTSD.” He promised that if his story received 10,000 likes and shares, he’d shave the beard and remove the mask.

The milestone was reached on March 6 and Dunning invited Global News to join him Tuesday morning to document his step forward.

“It’s a big, big thing. So I’m nervous,” Dunning said while standing at the front counter of Jennifer’s Hair Boutique in Aurora. “I’m just doing this so that other people known that they can do it too. This is just one step and basically I want everybody else to be able to take that next step as well.”

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After tying the main tuft of hair under his chin in a ponytail, Dunning sat in the barber’s chair as stylist Jennifer O’Leary turned on the clippers and began trimming. With his mother, his wife Wendy and his faithful service dog Marshall by his side Dunning sat calmly as piece by piece, clip by clip, his “mask” was chipped away, leaving a brownish red pile of hair on the cape draped over him.

Staff and another customer in the salon witnessed a touching moment as Wendy touched Dunning’s face and kissed his lips directly for the first time in close to a year. Dabbing tears of pride from her eyes soon after.

“That was a big factor in getting this done,” Dunning said with a smile. “I wanted to be able to kiss her again.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "That was a big factor in getting this done," Dunning said with a smile. "I wanted to be able to kiss her again."

READ MORE: How to get help if you or someone you know has PTSD

“The mask is off” he said as he looked at his newly bare face in the mirror, running his hand over his cheeks and chin. Still sporting long hair on his head, Dunning joked “I feel like I need a haircut now.”

That’s coming he says, in due time. For today, the beard is the focus. Dunning is keeping it as a souvenir. A reminder that he’s cleared the first major hurdle along the road to recovery.

The effort to get here while raising awareness of the issue can leave him drained at times, and he says he expects years of continued therapy before he can fully recover.

But as he kisses his wife, hugs his mom, and nearly gets bowled over by an excited Marshall, Dunning takes comfort in the fact that he’s not alone. And he wants others with PTSD to know the same.

“There is help for you right now,” he urges. “If you get help now, it makes your journey easier.”

Dunning’s message of positivity and support through the Unmask PTSD campaign has gathered almost 3,000 followers on Facebook. The campaign has also encouraged several dozen people to submit their own pictures or those of family and friends affected by the condition to a collection of “Faces of PTSD.”

He plans to continue pushing the message, but he’ll soon be taking it beyond Facebook. He’s currently working on a new website,UnmaskPTSD.ca, which will offer resources for anyone that needs help.

If you, a family member or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, or you believe they may be suffering from severe depression and/or anxiety, there are many organizations available to help including the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention.  A lengthy list can be found here.