Jonny Benjamin #SMEX16 Lightning Talk

transcript

My Mental Health Journey

8th February 2016#SMEX16

• Every 40 seconds someone dies by suicide• 3,000 people everyday.• Almost a million people a year taking their own lives.

[WHO, 2014]

• 17 people kill themselves each day in the UK• Suicide is the biggest killer of men under the age of 49.• Suicide rate in males is now at its highest rate since 2001.

[ONS, 2013]

• A young person between 10-19 attempts suicide every 20 minutes in the UK

[Samaritans, 2004]• Self-harm is now a major concern for pupils. It has tripled amongst

teenagers in the last decade. [WHO, 2014]

Within days hundreds of messages & emails had been received. We sifted through 38 leads…

And the whole time we filmed Jonny’s search, for a documentary about hope and recovery.

Then we got this email....

• CLOSE UP OF THE TEXT FROM NEIL

I hope this message gets through.

I was on the bridge that day and was the person to help Jonny.

I probably know that you may read this with some skepticism, however I assure that you that this e-mail is 100% genuine. I can recall the moment and details of our conversation on the bridge and the events with a lot of clarity and detail, even 6 years on.

I have emailed this rather than posted on Twitter or Facebook to avoid any unforeseen complications in establishing who helped Jonny.

My Name is Neil Laybourn, I have worked in Covent Garden since 2007, traveling over Waterloo bridge to work most mornings.

I would be be delighted to help confirm all this and would love the opportunity to make contact with Jonny to reciprocate his genuine gratefulness to something I was fortunate to be able to be there for.

Please feel free to contact me in confidence,

Kindest Regards,

Neil Laybourn

• Jonny & Neil Reunion Video

Jonny Benjamin #SMEX16 Lightning Talk

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