21/03/2025
Content warning: This post mentions su***de.
On Christmas eve, 24-year-old Will was wearing a hat and sunscreen. He said to his Mum, Pauline, that he was exhausted but didn't mention anything about his headspace.
That was the last conversation Pauline had with her son. He took his life on Christmas Day in 2015. Will was a popular local football player with a thriving business as an electrician. He had close mates and a family who loved him.
Pauline couldn't understand what happened and felt an immense amount of guilt. She asked a psychologist why someone who was struggling would protect themselves from the sun that very day. He replied, 'you taught him that'.
It was this conversation that led to the creation of Pauline and her husband's local charity, Where There’s A Will. Located in Upper Hunter Region, they focus on building young people and community resilience by educating young people early on about mental wellbeing, as well as their parents, teachers and other touchpoints.
Pauline believes it takes a village to keep someone safe from su***de, which is why we all need to know the signs and how to have a supportive conversation.
Read her full story 👉 www.ruok.org.au/where-theres-a-will
Where There's A Will
