Here are some words from Emma:
Dean Michael Taylor – 28/03/1993 – 24/03/2023
“Me and my brother Dean were born and raised in Harrow, we were both even born in Northwick Park Hospital & have lived here for our whole lives. My big brother was the apple of my eye, the type of guy who gave you his last pound and never asked for it back. He was known as the BFG for this (Big Friendly Giant). However, on 24/03/2023 we lost him forever. Dean, unfortunately, took his own life by falling from a height in central Harrow right by St Georges Centre. In one second my family’s lives changed forever. Now we are 18 months on and the pain of losing him is still no less! Death by suicide is different from other grief. All grief is painful, but if someone dies by accident, illness or age, you have a clear explanation; you understand what happened and what led to the tragedy. But with suicide, I feel stuck, trapped on a spiral staircase of “whys?” and “what ifs?”. Sometimes I feel like talking about him is the only I feel like I can cope, talking about all our childhood memories & sharing the wisdom he passed onto me can make me feel somewhat close to him. This is why I want to #StartTheConversation. It’s easy to get yourself stuck in your own head, believing no one else could feel the heartbreak you are feeling, getting annoyed at colleagues and loved ones who seem like they’ve forgotten you’re grieving. We need to remember it’s no one’s fault we feel this way & we need to work hard to ensure we are checking in on the people around us. Walking down the street or sitting next to someone in the office – everyone has a story. As someone who has had their whole life turned upside down due to suicide I’m asking you please to look out for one another, be kind, share a compliment, and do something that will make someone smile! I promise you will make some kind of impact on that person.”
The day will be filled with activities such as bingo, a quiz, a raffle, live music, and a free buffet. All proceeds will go towards supporting our work at Mind in Harrow. We are incredibly touched by the connection this event has with our team, who were present to comfort Dean during his final moments.
You can still contribute via the Just Giving Page linked here if you can’t attend. Let’s come together to honour Dean’s memory and raise awareness for suicide prevention.