A disturbed father has warned parents not to be complacent when it comes to the mental health of their child after his young daughter tried to take her own life.
For years Joe Saunders thought that his daughter Grace, 12, was 'the perfect child', not aware of the hidden struggles under her cheerful smile.
Tragedy almost took place on Australia Day when they deliberately have an overdose on recipe medication.
“We found a diary full of writings about the pain she has about not fitting and her friends do not accept her and that she is a burden for everyone,” said Mr. Saunders.
“She had suicide notes that we all wrote individually, which seemed to have been written for a few weeks, so I don't think it was a hasty decision.”
Grace has three younger sisters, and it was one of those who told their mother and dad that she behaved strangely and talked 'funny'.
“About half an hour later, Grace walked into our bedroom and seemed a bit distraught and we didn't think too much, but I tried to let her calm,” said Mr. Saunders.
'She then waved goodbye and started communicating with something in the corner of the room that she could see, but we couldn't see it, and at that moment we thought something had to go wrong, so we called an ambulance.
Joe Saunders with daughter Grace for her suicide attempt
For years Joe thought that his daughter Grace was 'the perfect child', not aware of the hidden struggles lurking under her cheerful smile
“Initially we were afraid that she had a stroke or that something was wrong with her brain.
While the paramedics were assessing Grace, her parents found the prescribed medication in her room, when another sisters told them to see her Tiktok account that suicidal messages revealed.
“She has been the perfect child and she is so smart and has not had any problems in any way,” said Mr. Saunders.
'We have become a bit complacent and there are things that I have swollen for many hours in the past week. I wondered whether this or if there was a warning sign.
“The most important thing I would say is, as parents, you are not psychologists. If something is wrong, you have to involve professionals, but we have not seen the warning signals. '
Mr. Saunders said it was too early for Grace to open and discuss what happened, because she is followed 24 hours a day in a hospital north of Brisbane.
Grace (second from left) and her family last year at Christmas
But at least the Kallangur family gets the chance to discuss the mental health of their daughter with her, unlike so many parents who have lost a child to suicide without realizing that something was wrong.
“We are lucky that we still have a chance to have these conversations and to give her the help she needs,” said Mr. Saunders.
“I let so many parents reach and said they didn't get that second chance.”
The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with the coming costs of Grace's treatment and all the help that its younger sisters need.
The family tries to pick up $ 20,000 for their long way ahead.
“My wife lost her job a few weeks ago, which was not ideal and I just got back to the workforce after an accident last year, so I didn't work for a few months,” said Mr. Saunders.
'There are many things we have to do for her when she comes home. We have to look at the different types of therapy that we can spend her and her three other brothers and sisters must also be cared for.
'She wants to become a singer-songwriter or an anime illustrator. She has so much to live and so much to offer to this world. '
For confidential 24-hour support in Australia Call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
