Falefitu Taefu tattoos a semi-colon on Jenny McGregor Saturday as part of an event aimed to raise awareness for mental health ( Tiffany Goodwein/ CHAT NEWS)

By Tiffany Goodwein

Community gets inked for mental health

Aug 29, 2020 | 7:35 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Laying flat on a tattoo table, Jenny McGregor prepares to get inked. The pain of the needle, no comparison to the pain of losing her son to suicide.

Eleven years ago her son Bret Brimicombe died by suicide at age 18, leaving the family shattered. Through the months, weeks, and days leading up to his tragic death, Mcgregor never suspected that deep down her son was suffering.

“ He was a fun-loving joking kid. He graduated with honours. He was doing his apprenticeship through Highway service, working on combines and all that good stuff. He did his first year, had a wonderful girlfriend, he was living life.” McGregor said.

“Mental health is really silent, it’s a silent killer,” she added.

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Bret Brimicombe died by suicide at age 18 ( submitted photo/ Jenny McGregor)

Across the tattoo table is Falefitu Taefu, a tattoo artist, that like McGregor lost someone tragically to suicide. Together as the needle pierces the skin they share a story of the pain.

“I lost my best friend, I seen it happen before my own eyes, and I can’t get that image out of my head,” he said.

Taefu was 14 when his best friend died by suicide in his native New Zealand. The trauma of the incident, still impacting him years later at age 32 as he suffers with PTSD, anxiety and depression.

“I try and fight the fight every single day,” Taefu said.

Using tools and a precise hand he inks a semicolon on McGregor and the hundreds of people coming through the doors of Gas City Tattoos. Taefu’s own personal struggles coupled with the community grieving the loss of numerous men who died by suicide recently, becoming a motivating force toward opening his doors to raise awareness for mental health. Donations went towards the Canadian Mental Health Association and over $2000 was raised in the first two hours. The semi-colon inked on each person’s skin, embodying a special meaning.

“For an author, it’s like a pause, that it is not the end, it’s like a continuation. It’s not the end of your story and better days is to come you know,” Taefu said.

For Taefu, a men’s mental health advocate, he says there needs to be more conversations around men’s mental health and the narrative needs to change.

“ Us men we come off as we are strong protective figures not only in society but in our families and we just suffer in silence. We just can’t come out and you know talk about our problems and stuff, so it’s a hard thing to talk about because you know expressing out feelings as men it seems that, you’re just saying you’re weak if you do so.” he said.

McGregor wants people to know that help is available.

“My message to anybody that is having those thoughts is reach out, there’s someone that’s going to listen. Reach out to me on Facebook. Reach out to anybody, we care,” McGregor said.

If you or someone you know is in crisis resources are available. In the case of an emergency dial 9-1-1. The Alberta Mental Health Help Line can be reached at 1-877-3030-2642. The Kids Help Phone can be reached at 1-800-668-6868.