The Fredericton family of a man who took his own life after suffering from mental illness and addiction is hoping to turn a negative into a positive by raising awareness and funds for local initiatives through a memorial walk.
Steven Robbins’ body was found May 16, 2015.
He had been missing for several weeks after leaving the hospital on his own.
Now, two years later, his sister Christina Gore still remembers the time vividly.
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“I had been out that night walking my dog and I seen the two cruisers coming in the neighbourhood,” she explained. “My gut just fell. I knew, I just knew that’s what they were there for.”
Robbins was located near the banks of the St. John River.
The news was devastating to his family.
But before long they made a decision to organize a memorial walk to honour their late family member and help support those who still struggle with mental health and addictions issues.
In the fall of 2015, just a few months after Steven passed away, the first Steven Robbins Memorial Walk was held in Fredericton. They followed that up the next year, raising just over $4,000 in total.
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The funds were donated to the Capital Region Mental Health and Addictions Association.
“People say ‘I go through my whole life and I don’t have a purpose,’ this is my purpose now,” Gore said.
“What it’s enabled us to do is provide discounted rates on suicide intervention workshops to some students as well as to our community partners who can’t afford to take the training,” explained Dawn Maskill, CRMHAA’s executive director. “In addition to that, they’ve helped us to be able to purchase more addictions materials and more mental health materials for the general public’s consumption.”
Beyond raising funds the family says the walk is a way for them to try to change how people view mental illness, and show other sufferers that they are supported.
“There’s still stigma to do with mental health and people kind of shove it under the rug,” said Joyce Robbins, Steven’s mother.
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“If just us coming out every year and one person goes ‘you know what I’m not alone’,” said Gore. “Then that is so worth it.”
The Steven Robbins Memorial Walk will be held on Sept. 23.
Where to get help
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call 911 for immediate help.
The Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention, Depression Hurts and Kids Help Phone 1-800-668-6868 all offer ways of getting help if you, or someone you know, may be suffering from mental health issues.
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