Setting the record straight.

I prefer to avoid pausing in the midst of a story to talk about the odd tangents that tend to pop up in my life, but in this instance I believe an error in judgement may have perhaps portrayed me in an incorrect light. I have nothing to hide, my journals are all within the public domain and can be found on the previous pages. If you choose to know me, read this journal as it has all you need.

A few weeks ago I was invited to take part in a campaign to raise both funding and awareness for the Mental Illness Awareness week with an excellent example of a human being; Lee Horbachewski. Her drive to bring this to the public stage inspired me to step in and step up in what ever way I could. Statistically 1 in 5 Canadians suffer from sort of mental illness. Chances are high, that you know someone.

I was asked yesterday if I would like to participate in a television interview conducted by Global TV here in Calgary. I was delighted to be asked and attended the interview that afternoon. When I was asked why I was involved, I made a brief mention of my teenage years and part of my early adult years being less than favorable. Although I was never clinically diagnosed, I have no doubt that I had suffered from depression during this time; 20 years ago. I went on to say that as a father, I wanted to ensure that should my son encounter any issues that he did not feel comfortable enough to talk to his parents about, that there would be a safe place for him; like the Calgary Distress center.

The majority of the people who have called me today did not see this in the aired version. It came across that perhaps I was currently suffering from mental illness and had perhaps attempted suicide in the past. I want to be very clear, I have not been down this path in any way shape or form. I was fortunate enough to have a few very close friends and family to get me through those dark times. I am currently in a very good frame of mind. I am a project manager for a team of great people all hell bent on making a global impact on reducing green house gas emissions from the HVAC industry, I recently raced a motorcycle my father and I built across the Bonneville Salt Flats, and I have a wonderful son and a beautiful wife.

I still believe entirely in supporting this cause. These are topics than need to be discussed openly. This is the only way that labels and stigmas can be resolved. I am proud to call Lee a friend and will not shy away from these topics or my past just because they make people uncomfortable. The "Go Blue 4 You" campaign is about helping your friends, neighbors, and family alike, but it needs to be told with integrity.

This story isn't about me, it's about us.


All the Best

Jaeson