Brandon Gunpat was the kind of person who lit up a room, always smiling, always helping others.
Just two months before he took his own life, he had talked someone out of doing the same.
His mother, Terri-Ann Gunpat, sat down with journalist Danielle John for a heart-to-heart conversation this week with the hope of spreading awareness on suicide and preventing future occurrences.
When asked to describe Brandon, she spoke with a mixture of pride and sorrow.
“My son, his name was Brandon Gunpat. He was a very bright, very sensitive, caring human being. Growing up, he was quite different to other children and I just thought that he was a perfect child, not knowing that he was ill.”
Ms. Gunpat said Brandon started experiencing auditory and visual hallucinations at the age of 15. The condition progressed, and, upon seeking medical attention, he was diagnosed with a mental illness. He was placed on a series of medications that seemed to be working until the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
“I believe he became depressed because at that point everything was on a shutdown. So he couldn’t go to work. He couldn’t, he couldn’t function as how he would. He was just confined. And I believe that was a major contributing factor to why he would have taken his life at that point.”
Looking back, Ms. Gunpat noted that there were several indicators that something was wrong.
“He became so fascinated with dying, different ways of dying. He would even refer to people who would have died via suicide. So he was fascinated with Chester from Linkin Park. He would consistently speak about that. He would talk about Robin Williams.”
As a mother, she said she could never have imagined that her life would take such a heartbreaking turn.
“As a relative or as a mother, when somebody’s speaking about death or killing themselves, I think the first thing we jump to do is tell them ‘stop being stupid’ or ignore what they’re saying because you’re telling yourself they’re looking for attention or something like that, right? You’re not really thinking that this is something that they will really do.”
Ms. Gunpat is urging everyone to be attentive to their loved ones and lend support wherever necessary.
“They are accustomed to playing a sport, and all of a sudden they decide that they don’t want to play the sport. The minute that you realise that these signs are occurring, if it’s happening for more than two weeks, it means that they have something going on, and it’s usually a form of depression. I think the question to ask is, ‘Are you okay? How are you feeling? Why are you not eating?’ When they respond to you, don’t shut them down. I think it makes them feel afraid and that they don’t have a safe space with you, and they can’t be honest with you.”
It’s been five years since Brandon’s death, and Ms. Gunpat said the passage of time has not made it easier.
“As a parent, losing a child to suicide, it is not an easy thing, especially having to still go back to your ordinary life and try to get things done. And I also have another child that I need to take care of. So it has been a challenge. However, I have been trying.”
If you or a loved one are experiencing suicidal thoughts, you do not have to go through this alone; help is available by calling 800–COPE (2673).