A Saint John, N.B., father whose daughter died by suicide two years in the past mentioned their household is honoured {that a} new wellness park within the metropolis is partially devoted to her reminiscence.
Maddy Murphy was 21 when she died from accidents suffered in a suicide try in September 2019.
Her father, Mike, mentioned the household continues to be grieving and he does not assume they may ever recover from the loss of a kid.
“We’re nonetheless at odds with all the pieces,” he mentioned. “We’re nonetheless in that grieving course of.”
Murphy was chatting with reporters Saturday morning on the official opening of the Large Steps Wellness Park within the metropolis’s north finish.
The park is meant to boost consciousness of suicide whereas additionally offering a spot of solitude and reflection.
There are two benches within the park — one devoted to Maddy.
Murphy mentioned he is honoured that his daughter is being remembered on the park, however needs it wasn’t a actuality. “I am very unhappy that we’re on this place to start with,” he mentioned.
Murphy believes that his daughter could be beaming understanding she has a bench in her reminiscence.
“This is able to be proper up her alley, that is for positive,” he mentioned.
The park was the imaginative and prescient of Gary Brown, a colleague of Mike Murphy.
When Brown heard concerning the demise of his co-worker’s daughter, he needed to do one thing to assist.
He mentioned that previous to Maddy’s demise, he had by no means been impacted by suicide.
“I by no means actually understood the extent of the issue right here with psychological well being and suicide,” he mentioned.
Brown mentioned the plan began with having a mural painted, however the thought developed right into a park.
After two years of designing, planning and constructing, Brown lower the ribbon in entrance of a few hundred individuals to formally open the park.
An attention grabbing mural is the backdrop the nook lot on Somerset Avenue and Samuel Davis Drive.
Brown defined that the portray exhibits an individual hunched over in misery with two fingers reaching out to assist — impressed by the idea of “hope.”
On the grass, in entrance of the mural, is a big coronary heart that is full of white rocks.
On one facet of the big coronary heart is the bench devoted to Maddy Murphy.
A second bench is on the opposite facet of the center which is devoted to Carson Hoyt, who died by suicide in June.
Mike Murphy hopes this park is not going to solely commemorate his daughter however convey consciousness to psychological well being.
“Not notoriety, however to ensure that individuals are conscious that it is an sickness — it is on the market.”
If you’re in disaster or know somebody who’s, right here is the place to get assist:
CHIMO hotline: 1-800-667-5005 / http://www.chimohelpline.ca
Children Assist Telephone: 1-800-668-6868, Dwell Chat counselling at www.kidshelpphone.ca
Canada Suicide Prevention Service: 1-833-456-4566