Donald O’Connell said his son David always knew he wanted to be a firefighter.
“His fire alarm pager was always on, always at his side,” O’Connell said. “Even at school, he got yelled at because the pager would go off in the middle of class because he wanted to know what his fellow firefighters were doing.”
On Sunday, Jan. 17, the 16-year-old Port Matilda Fire Company junior firefighter died by suicide. In the days since, the local community has raised more than $20,000 through a GoFundMe page created by Erika Smith, a close family friend, to help cover funeral expenses. The page had a fundraising goal of $7,500, and O’Connell said the total has amazed him and his wife, Laurie.
“We’re extremely humbled by everyone who has given to us,” he said.
The two now hope that spreading awareness will help to save someone else’s life. In lieu of flowers, the family asked for people to post to social media about suicide awareness and mental health. Many, including community organizations and area fire companies, have done just that.
“We think that not talking about suicide is wrong, that we need to get it out there, get people talking about it, get people understanding that it is an illness just like any other illness people could have, like diabetes or heart disease or anything like that,” O’Connell said.
“We think that not talking about suicide is wrong, that we need to get it out there, get people talking about it, get people understanding that it is an illness just like any other illness people could have, like diabetes or heart disease or anything like that,” O’Connell said.
O’Connell said it’s important people know that David, a sophomore at State College Area High School, was “doing the things he needed to do,” like taking medication and seeing a psychiatrist and psychotherapist.
“I want people to know that they have to talk, they have to try and find the help and the resources they need, that it’s not something they should keep to themselves,” he said.
The O’Connells plan to donate the extra funds raised to organizations their son was involved in, such as the Boy Scouts State College Troop 32 and the Port Matilda Fire Company, as well as those that focus on mental health, like the Jana Marie Foundation.