One year ago, Jasper was shaken to its core.
The community suffered a loss so unfathomable that, 12 months later, people are still trying to wrap their heads around it. It was the loss of a beloved community member, a woman known for her unmatched enthusiasm and love for life; a woman who adored boas and all things sparkly, and inspired hundreds, if not thousands, through her work at the Palisades Environmental Stewardship Centre.
That woman was Jeanine D’Antonio.
Jeanine lost her battle with depression April 16, 2014.
Her illness and death came as a shock to many and left the community questioning how someone like her could succumb to such a vicious illness—an illness so seemingly unbefitting of her personality and lust for life.
“I still can’t process it,” said Lourdes Nunes, Jeanine’s close friend and former neighbour. “Not a day goes by that I don’t think of her.
“But what I can’t get a grip on is how mental illness—you know, I’ve experienced depression and I’ve been in some pretty dark places—but how...” asked Nunes, trailing off before completing her thought.
There are still so many questions.
But, for Nunes, one thing is for sure: “If it can happen to [Jeanine], it can happen to anybody” and “once is too often.”
So, in an effort to raise awareness about mental health, as well as raise money for the Edmonton branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association, Nunes, along with a group of Jeanine’s closest friends, has organized the J9 Sparkle Run on April 19.
“It’s not a race, it’s a fun event,” said Nunes, noting that everyone is encouraged to run, bike or walk in costumes—particularly boas and sparkles, two of Jeanine’s favourite things.
“Jeanine just sparkled, figuratively and literally, in every aspect of her life and she loved to get dressed up in crazy outfits and feather boas and sequins, so this really fits Jeanine.
“We want to be silly in a time that can be challenging and about a topic that isn’t fun and isn’t something that we generally want to talk about: mental health, mental illness, suicide, depression. We’re trying to make something positive out of something that can be dark and daunting.”
It’s about opening a dialogue, washing away the stigma and offering support to those living with a mental illness, she said.
“You know what, we’ve got to talk about this: there isn’t shame in it, there shouldn’t be shame in it.
“It’s going to take time, but we’re pretty determined to bring that forward in our community.”
The hope is one day the J9 Sparkle Run will not only raise awareness about mental illnesses and start the conversation in our community, it will also raise funds that directly impact the region, making services more accessible to the people who need them.
“We have a long vision for this event and for the legacy, and it really heavily involves what we can do for our community and our region.”
To register for the run, visit the “J9 Sparkle Run” group on Facebook for a registration form, or pop into Totem Ski Shop or Freewheel Cycle to pick up a physical copy and pay the registration fee.
Registration will also take place on the day of the run between 10 and 10:30 a.m. at the “White Rock” parking lot, behind the public bathrooms on the corner of Hazel Avenue and Connaught Drive.
The race begins at 11 a.m. April 19.
Nicole Veerman
[email protected]
