Hollie’s Story

As Nelson’s Journey marks the significant milestone of having supported 10,000 children and young people we spoke with Hollie.

Read her story below:

My family sadly lost my dad when I was 7 years old. He struggled with depression and his mental health for years, quietly, without asking for much support before deciding it was too much for him in November 1999.

Myself, my sister and my mum had gone out to my uncle’s house to celebrate bonfire night. My dad decided not to come. At the time this felt strange, but now I can see that he probably saw this as the opportunity he needed to end his suffering. My mum found him in mine and my sister’s bedroom, and from that night our whole life changed. At the time, mental health wasn’t talked about like it is now and I think my dad probably felt like he had nowhere to go and nobody to turn to. I wish he was here now to see how much things have changed. It still has a profound impact on me to this day and is the driving force behind my volunteering work with Nelsons Journey.

When it happened to me, Nelson’s Journey was in the first few years of their service, meaning that it has changed and grown so much to the experience people would have today. However, for our family, it was important that we had somewhere to go to talk through things if we needed to. I don’t remember much about that time or the kind of support I was offered, but through talking to my family, I know they were grateful to have someone unbiased to guide us through an extremely difficult time. We have a small family, and it was something they’d never had to cope with before so having Nelson’s Journey as an outlet was a lifeline. Knowing what I know now, I would recommend the charity and the support to anyone in a similar situation.

It’s been a long road for me to understand why my dad took his own life, and the impact it’s had on my own. It started at a young age with Nelson’s Journey’s support and continues today through different methods. This hasn’t always been a positive thing but I’m proud to say that I’ve tried my best to turn it into one. I work full-time for a national mental health charity. This came after executing the successful mental health initiative that still exists at Norwich City Football Club, and I also support Nelson’s Journey in a volunteering capacity with their digital marketing efforts to help with awareness for the charity so they can continue to grow and support more children. I want this relationship to continue for a long time to come.

Donate £10 here to help Nelson’s Journey support the next 10,000 children and young people