Blake Johnston, a loving husband and father, recently told the tragic story of his father’s suicide. This unfortunate loss has greatly impacted his life and inspired him to learn more about mental health. Johnston’s father, a World War II veteran, represented the best of selflessness, discipline and stoicism. Sadly, he became one of those nine Australians who take their lives each day. Michelle’s emotional testimony brings greater awareness to the families who share her plight, finding themselves now raising children in tragic and painful circumstances.
Johnston paints a picture of his father as a gentle, loving soul who poured everything into his family. He spoiled his grandkids rotten and would do anything to give them the world. Beneath this façade of strength and resolve were challenges that ran much deeper. In his father’s later years, Johnston’s dad suffered from sleep apnea. Tests at a sleep laboratory showed that he ceased breathing 150 times in the course of the night.
Despite these many obstacles, he remained committed to his family. He did not want to be a failure sometimes serving as a motive for him not being better prepared for retirement for himself and his wife. He was prescribed Aropax, an anti-depressant, to manage his depression and panic attacks. Even with the medication, he could still feel the weight of his struggles pressing down on him.
As Johnston tells the story about his father’s unexpected death, he recalls that fateful moment with vivid detail.
“By the time I arrived, his body had been cut down,” he said.
Johnston still bears the great burden of having lost a parent to suicide. Over ten years later, the wounds are still fresh and cut very deep. “More than a decade later, I still struggle to get my head around Dad’s death,” he stated.
His father’s death was a devastating blow not just for Johnston, but for their whole family. His sister-in-law expressed her condolences in a heartfelt message:
“I’m so sorry, Blake, your dad isn’t here any more.”
This line cuts to the emotional bone for Johnston, who felt that his father was one of his best mates. He looks back on their relationship with great affection. Today he deeply regrets that his father has not lived to see his successes since that awful day.
“If only he were still here to see what I’ve accomplished,” Johnston lamented.
Even amid the barrage of mourning from his father’s passing, Johnston has thrown himself into defending his own mental health. His own struggles with addiction and mental illness reminded him of the necessity for courage to take on personal battles.
“To have courage. That meant I needed to become aware of my own thoughts, feelings and actions and find the strength to do something about them,” he explained.
In his new book Swellbeing, Johnston gives an account of his own mental health journey. In addition to sharing his personal experiences, he sheds light on the larger need for mental health awareness and support. The pain from suicide doesn’t just go away when the person does. Instead, it moves and burdens those who survive them.
“The overpowering pain that someone is feeling when they take their own life doesn’t go away when they die. It just gets passed on to the people who love them,” he noted.
Meet Blake Johnston and his father, a story with powerful impact. It brings attention to the challenges that come with mental health problems. Open conversations around mental illness, particularly in the schools, are vital. Supportive communities are key to creating environments where individuals feel empowered and equipped to overcome their struggles.
Johnston is a staunch mental health awareness advocate. In sharing his father’s story, he wants to encourage others to seek help and know they’re not alone in their struggles. His story highlights an ongoing struggle with loss. He is driven to ensure his father’s legacy lives on through increased awareness and empathy toward others going through the same ordeal.