COLUMN: “Maybe You Need to Reach Out to Someone and Talk Too, It Could be the Best Thing you Have Ever Done”

Regular Her.ie readers may remember that back in May we shared an inspirational post by Tony Sheridan. At the time, Tony was undertaking the Darkness into Light walk with Pieta House, in memory of his mother and uncle, both sadly lost to suicide.

Today marks our friend Tony’s birthday, and the third anniversary of his mother’s funeral. A message he posted to mark the day has attracted the attention of thousands, and he’s given us permission to reprint his words, with a central message we could all do with being reminded of from time to time – make your life worth living.

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Tony writes: 

I remember sitting by my mam's grave this day 3 years ago on my 23rd birthday in complete bits, a shell of a man, in a very dark place. I didn't want to continue and I didn't think I had the strength to continue, but I did, I reached out and I got professional help, If you are feeling down reading this, maybe you need to reach out to someone and talk too, it could be the best thing you have ever done. I want to say a big thanks to my friends and especially family for the birthday wishes but also for getting me here today, you are literally life savers. 

Today I got to sit at mam's grave (her now joined by granda and uncle bernard) and talk to her, i said "I am still here mammy and I am doing well, doing a hell of a lot better than that day 3 years ago. In the last year alone since my 25th birthday mammy I have got 4 tattoos inspired by you, got my braces off, hosted the gathering 'Late Late Show' in Corduff, been runner up in Stellar magazine bachelor of year awards, my episodes of Irish Come Dine With Me aired on Channel in the UK, been on national TV (RTE reality bites: The Gym) and radio speaking about the mental health benefits of exercise, taught circuit training classes, been up the top of massive step aerobics class instructing, abseiled off thomond park for Special Olympics, been a Limerick Rose escort, had a little pic i put on fb about the Pieta house darkness into light walk go viral and get 9300 likes, i organised an Oscar Wilde talk in UL to fund-raise for Pieta too, lots of fundraising for suicide awareness in your memory, acted as a lead in a panto Beauty and the Beast, climbed mountains, competed in athletic competitions, hosted a fashion show for MS Ireland, got invited on twitter to go backstage at the voice of Ireland by Jamelia herself to meet her just by tweeting her telling her i fancied and last night I danced on stage in front 1000 plus people at 'Strictly Come Dancing' fundraiser. I've worked hard in the University, tutored and lectured 100s of students and got a few new roles in UL, progressed my PhD maybe not as much as i should have but ive been having lots of fun. I've got closer to my rest of the family and my niece Bella is so cute mam, she fills my heart with so much love i cant put it into words. I speak about you often now, and i hope talking about these things can help me and help others. I've had my dark moments, days where i've been sad and wanted to stay in bed all day but I've had amazing days, days were I've laughed and times I just couldn't stop smiling, over all in the balance mam I love life."

And I hope if she could of talked back she would have laughed and said 'Sure what the feck are you telling me all this for, I already know... i've been with you the whole time'. Never give up guys, reach out if you need to, make your life worth living, I've made mine worth Loving.

 

[SIC]

 

See Tony's original post here.