featuring The OLLIE Foundation
**Trigger warning: This story mentions suicide.**
‘This is my story. I am 25 years old and have tried to end my own life four times in total. The most recent was in August 2017 when I was in a coma, not expected to wake up and with suspected brain damage. Roll on nine months and I now manage a suicide prevention charity and using my experiences to instil hope in other young people that life can change, get better and improve.’
‘When I was 7 years old, my half brother suddenly came to live with us; then he suddenly did not.’
‘I remember him arguing with our father because he would not come down to eat. One Father’s Day, instead of going out for lunch, like we had planned, my brother refused to get into the car and walked away, to the next town.’
‘This was the first time I was face to face with suicide.’
‘My brother had tried to take his own life more than once; eventually he was taken to a psychiatric ward for his own safety. I cannot remember any ambulances or traumatic memories as such, but I do remember bursting into tears with my year 3 teacher.’
‘I was 16 when I first tried to end my own life. I had experienced bullying, a chronic invisible illness, a breakup and difficulties at home. I felt in so much pain I did not know what to do. Just being awake hurt. No one ever sat with me and talked about it, no one ever told me that it wasn’t the option to take because things would get better.’
‘I now know that my suicide attempt was my ‘cry for help’. I needed support, but I did not know how to ask for it, I did not know how to say it.’
‘I did not get the support. My second attempt was several weeks after the first. After this, I was referred to mental health services, but hated it. The good thing is, they encouraged my parents to get the dog I had been asking for; they believed that might help.’
‘Fast forward five years.’
‘I had lost my dad to cancer, gotten married into an abusive relationship, become estranged from my mum, isolated from my friends, had no financial control or independence and lived with a man that had complete disregard for my feelings or health. I woke up from my third suicide attempt in hospital. I was spoken to in front my mum and my husband; the mother that I was estranged from, the husband who was mentally abusive and controlling. You can imagine I was not forthcoming about the issues underlying my suicide attempt. I agreed to bereavement counselling and went home to my mother’s for a week to recover physically. We had finally started to rebuild our relationship.’
‘That suicide attempt caused a relapse with my chronic illness; I became wheelchair bound.’
‘And yet, somehow I just cracked on. In November 2016, I left my marriage. I had finally accepted it was wrong and he wasn’t going to change. The divorce was straightforward. I accepted far less financially, but I just wanted to draw a line under it. ‘
‘Unfortunately, I didn’t really draw a line. I just wiped my past, like it was never a part of my life, not dealing with any of the self-esteem, self-worth or confidence issues that it had created.’
‘By the time I was found from my fourth suicide attempt, in August 2017, I was in a coma. My family and friends had been warned that I was unlikely to wake up and even if I did, I would have significant brain damage.’
‘I am so fortunate to have woken up with no lasting damage. My body has obviously taken a severe beating and the trauma I caused my family and friends I will never forget. After I was discharged I was contacted by one of the founders of The OLLIE Foundation. I started volunteering for them. It gave me purpose, something to plan for and get up for.
It has been a whirlwind journey and in October 2017 I applied for a paid position. I was originally supporting fundraising and events, but I am now running the charity on a day to day basis. It has been a really steep learning curve, but I look at how far I have come and I am so proud of myself. I get to use my experiences for good, and hopefully by sharing my story, at least one person will reevaluate their options and find the inner strength to hang on a bit longer.’
The OLLIE Foundation (One Life Lost is Enough)
The story above is Verity Bramwell’s story. She is the manager and only paid staff member of The OLLIE Foundation. And this already tells you a lot.
The OLLIE Foundation (One Life Lost is Enough) is a youth suicide prevention charity. Their purpose is to raise awareness on youth suicide and to teach skills and knowledge on how to prevent it. They believe that it is crucial to speak to young people going through difficult times in the right way and at the right time.
The charity was set up by three parents who suddenly lost their teenage children to suicide.
The parents realised they had been completely unprepared and unaware of the risk and reality of suicide, and therefore had never thought of being alert or speaking to their children about it.
The charity now work hard to raise awareness that suicide can happen to anyone, and therefore everyone needs to be part of the solution. They take on the incredible responsibility to educate, raise awareness and work together to reduce suicides.
I was recently very moved by the film OLLIE have produced, entirely through collaborations with young volunteers. I urge you to watch it, its message is powerful.
I was humbled to receive Verity’s story and in awe with her strength and determination to make a difference. I once again thank her for lending her story to storisse.com.
I consider myself very lucky to be the receiver of such stories. Here is another one, from another powerful young woman who is determined to prove odds wrong.