One of my favourites photos, dancing with my brother Kevin. This was at the Joshua Holland's Leukemia Foundation Gala Dinner. Coyote organised for the MC, Ron Lee - The Corporate Ninja.

The Effects of Suicide

"Don't put your brother behind you, put him beside you and walk on".

These words changed my life. They were said to me about 5 months after the suicide of my beautiful brother Gary. They were spoken to me when I looked 10 years older than I was due to the stress of his death, I weighed 46kgs and quite frankly, looked and felt like death myself. My neighbour, Patrick, took me aside one day and spoke those words to me and I made a decision there and then, to do just that. I hope I have made Gary proud. The full story is in my upcoming book.

My heart bleeds when I hear of other people who have lost someone to suicide. It bleeds even more when I hear of people that are so desperate that they don't want to be part of this journey we call life anymore. For those of us left behind our lives are never the same again. For me, it's been a long hard journey and I wonder if he hadn't died, where would I be now? Certainly not here I'm sure.
I urge anyone that is unhappy to seek help, don't take your life because you may think that the people you leave behind will cope. I can tell you - we don't! We don't ever recover from it! It leaves a permanent scar on us - don't do it!

The two drawings above are part of a collection of 6 that Gary drew. He was a brilliant artist and these are just a portion of two of them. Gary and I were writing a book for children, and when he died it was halfway finished. I haven't published it yet because he never finished all the drawings.

In memory of Gary (Gaz) Steven Doran alias Mars Solar

- To be your sister is an honour!