"If I knew then what I know now, my son might be alive today" Leighton Buzzard dad’s mission to raise awareness of suicide prevention
A dad who lost his son to suicide has dedicated his life to a charity which help raise awareness of suicide prevention.
Chris Sibley helped set up The Ollie Foundation (One Life Lost Is Enough), a suicide prevention and wellbeing charity, with two other parents after they each lost sons to suicide.
Chris’s son, Taylor, died just after leaving school in 2016, aged 16.
Chris, of Regent Street, Leighton Buzzard, said: “Taylor, or TJ as he was known, was magnificient. He was really kind and thoughtful and was always the person other people went to with their problems.
"But I didn’t realise or know he helped others until after he died, when his friends told me.
“Looking back, there were no real signs there was anything wrong. It’s only now, since my work with the charity and talking to others that I recognise there were maybe a few things, but I didn’t see them. Something we, at the charity highlight and tell people, is that often there are no signs, but if there are they may not necessarily be the usual teenage angst.
"If I knew then what I know now about teenage behaviour, my son might be alive today.”
Since helping found the charity nine years ago, Chris has devoted his time to helping raise awareness of suicide prevention.
“I met the two other founder members at bereavement support,” he added. “We helped each other and decided we could do something to help others and hopefully make a difference.
“People have to help people. Suicide is the biggest killer in the 19 to 24 age group, so if we can help save one life then it's a good thing.”
The charity operates across the UK, working with communities, businesses, sports clubs, NHS, Public Health, libraries, first responders – literally anyone and everyone.
The charity doesn’t run a crisis or helpline but can provide assistance by connecting people with organisations that specialise in urgent help.
Chris added: “One of the hardest things is raising awareness of the support that is available. As a charity we rely on donations but we ensure all our online ‘open sessions’ are available for free for those who need it.”
The charity provides in-person and online training, events, initiatives and resources to reduce people who feel like suicide is their only option, stating: “We want to give you the confidence to support someone to stay safe for now because…One Life Lost is Enough.”
The charity invites support by inviting donations to support its life-saving suicide prevention work.
“To help, an intrepid group from Leighton Buzzard is completing a night-time 15km walk in the summer and a team from St Albans is climbing Kilimanjaro in September.
Said Chris: “A committed monthly donation, no matter how small, helps us plan ahead, ensuring our services remain accessible and impactful for those who need them most.”
For more information or to make a donation visit the website here.