Things Will Get Better, You Are Never Alone
Paul O'Neill
It was the day England played Croatia in the World Cup. I went to the pub with him and his friends. My brother was in the best form I have seen him in a long time. Some things hadn’t worked out for him recently, so I was glad to see him in a good mood, laughing, telling jokes, having some beer with his friends. At half-time, I left to go home. Later that evening, I got the call about the most devastating news in my life.
After the game, they went back to his friend’s house. Normally, they’d order a Chinese and walk the dog together after the pub, but that day he didn’t want to go. When his friend arrived back, he couldn’t find him anywhere. He knew something was not okay. He went around each room and then out to the back garden. That’s where he found him. Maybe it was a spontaneous decision, a moment of utter despair.
I often wonder what if he could’ve opened up and talked to us instead. Where would he be today? I’m sure everything would be okay by now. He would probably have a wife and children. We will never know.
This is the reason why Movember is so important to me. I felt helpless at the time, so Movember was my way of doing something for him. Before losing him, I never knew that there could be such a drive for individuals to get involved. I decided to put up a post every day during Movember. I set my target of €1,000 but after six hours, it was exceeded, by the end, I raised over €16.50k. This money will now go to echo a simple message: Things will get better, and you are never alone!
If you or someone you know is in crisis, or needs emotional support we urge you to head to https://movember.com/getsupport for support options. To speak with someone immediately, contact your local 24-hour support service.
