Hi, I’m Willamette’s mother. On November 30 our teen lost their life due to mental health. They were only 15 years old.

Some of you may recall October 25, 2023 when our child first attempted to end their life via train and the community came together and helped our family tremendously (we are so grateful) with their generosity of support, gift cards, ready meals, house cleaning, and financial support as we watched our child in a coma not knowing if they would survive. Amazingly, Willa healed their broken bones and had to accept the loss of using their one arm due to nerve damage. We learned that it wasn’t an accident, that it was an attempt to end their life. We spent a year helping our teen recover physically and mentally. Unfortunately mental health is so heart braking to watch, so difficult to know what to do or say at any time, it breaks down relationships and friendships. We tried many different resources locally and out of town in hopes it would be the thing that would bring light into Willa’s life. Unfortunately, Willa lost their battle with mental health.

We learned of the train vs pedestrian accident through facebook YGK and had the retching feeling that it was our child. When the OPP called and wanted to speak with as in person instead of saying they would take us to the hospital we knew the worst nightmare a parent has, that their child has died.

At the time of their death we couldn’t bare to ask for help during that devastating time and we were not ready for a service of celebrating the good times during the life of Willamette.

On Sunday. September 14 we are coming together family and friends to share those memories, to say goodbye, to make awareness, and to support each other.

We are here to ask for a small amount of funding to go towards covering the costs of the celebration of life. If anything is left we would like to gift something that our child loved to do to another teen, such scholarship for fencing, a sport that brought Willa joy.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story, please have us, our family, and friends in your thoughts are we proceed with celebration of life. If you prefer other ways of helping please consider donating to a local child mental health or youth LGBTQIA2S+ program in hopes it will make a difference in another child’s life.