My name is Dawn Marquis. I am a mother of seven children and 20 grandchildren. However, one of my beautiful seven now resides in heaven.

I’m a single mother who experienced the unimaginable loss of my son, Akeel, to mental health and suicide at the age of 28 in 2021. He left behind his son, his siblings, his twin, and nieces and nephews who all continue to feel his absence every single day.

It has taken a lot for me to write this, and I truly hope you will read my story through to the end.

Nothing prepares you for a pain like this. As a young Black mother, I had never faced something so deeply traumatic before. We knew Akeel struggled with his mental health, but we didn’t realise just how much until he was no longer with us. Life has never been the same for any of us since.

Through this journey, I came to realise how isolating grief can be, especially within ethnic minority communities where conversations around mental health and suicide are often not openly spoken about. Many of us suffer in silence, unsure of where to turn, and finding the right support can feel overwhelming or even impossible.

As a Christian, I have also found that navigating grief within faith spaces can be challenging. While my faith has carried me this far, I recognise that not everyone has access to support that understands both their spiritual and emotional needs.

This is why I am raising money.

In honour of Akeel, who will have been gone five years in October 2026, I am organising a black tie charity gala to celebrate his life and to raise awareness around male mental health and suicide.

This event is not just about Akeel. It is about every man who is no longer here due to mental health struggles. If you have lost a male family member or friend to suicide, I would love to hear your story and pay tribute to them as well.

The charity gala will be held on Saturday 24th October 2026; venue will be confirmed. It will be a powerful evening to honour those we have lost, while raising funds to support this mission.

The money raised through this GoFundMe will go towards the running of the event, including venue hire, food, entertainment, staff, décor, and music. A portion of the funds will also be donated to two chosen charities that support male mental health and suicide prevention.

Tickets will also be available for purchase to help us raise additional funds and make this event a success.

Akeel was an outgoing and confident young man, fashionable in every sense, with an incredible sense of humour. He was creative, passionate, and hardworking. He organised events across the Midlands and was always involved in Black History community events.

He loved to cook, to help others, and to support people, even while going through his own struggles. He always put others before himself.

Akeel was a father, a son, a brother, a cousin, and an uncle. The pain we carry in our hearts every day is indescribable.

But this mission was born from both pain and purpose.

I want to create awareness, provide accessible support, and remind others going through similar experiences that they are not alone. Everyone processes grief differently, and there is no single way to heal, but there should always be support available.

This is more than fundraising.

This is about turning loss into legacy.

This is about making sure no one has to grieve alone.

I am happy to speak with anyone who wishes to donate or who would like to honour someone special at this event.

Please help me not only make this happen, but make it a success.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story. Any contribution, big or small, would mean the world to us.

Dawn Marquis

Mother of our beloved Akeel