Mourning South Coast mother Deanne Griffen’s mission to stop youth suicide after losing son Sean

A mother is using the grief of losing her son by suicide to fight the youth mental health crisis, creating a mural in his honour and pushing one important message: You’re somebody’s someone.

Deanne Griffin with her mural at the Hanging Rock Oval in Batemans Bay. Picture: Tom McGann

A mother determined to use her grief for good, after losing her son to suicide, has begun a mission to save other young lives from suffering from the same, tragic fate.

South Coast mother Deanne Griffin’s mission for youth mental health began when her 17-year-old son, Sean Griffin, took his life in December 2019, with his mother now creating murals and fighting to install suicide prevention posters across the community.

“He was my boy and a great friend to everyone,” Mrs Griffin told this publication.

“Hindsight is an awful thing, because every day now I just think, what if he told us? Things could be so different,” she said.

Deanna Griffin with her son, Sean. Picture: Deanne Griffin

“He was such a good boy, loved his cricket, he was sleeping with cricket balls since he was a baby; but sometimes you just don’t know what’s happening in someone’s head.”

Now, the grieving mother wants to share her story with the world and in turn, save families from the heartache of suicide.

Deanna Griffin had the mural created in honour of her son, Sean. Picture: Tom McGann

Her mission comes after recent figures revealed a shocking number of young Australians attempt to take their lives with another tragic and recent example being the passing of Charlotte, who at just 12-years-old, when she took her own life by suicide.

Mrs Griffin, along with her husband and Sean’s father, Pat Griffin, want to lower these figures with one message: You’re somebody’s someone.

The message comes from Eurobodalla-based Indigenous man and youth mental health advocate, Tom Powell.

Sean Griffin, 17, loved cricket. Picture: Deanne Griffin

Mrs Griffin said she met with Mr Powell at a suicide prevention seminar months after she lost her son.

“He taught me that very important message,” she said.

“I wanted to spread that if you take your life, you’re leaving behind a wound for everyone that loves and cares about you.

“Nine people take their life in Australia every day, let that sink in.”

Cricket balls are painted into the mural due to Sean's love for the sport. Picture: Tom McGann

Mr Griffin, who was the treasurer of the Batemans Bay Cricket Club, advocated for grants to refurbish the existing cricket nets at the Hanging Rock Oval in Sean’s honour, while also advocating for a mural to be painted over the “ugly” water tanks sitting beside the nets.

Two water tanks at the Hanging Rock Oval were painted as part of the mural. Picture: Tom McGann

“I wasn’t going to have a picture of Sean plastered across the water tanks, but I wanted the club to know that it would be a message for everyone,” Mrs Griffin said.

“When you feel everything is awful, you’re not thinking about anything else.

“You’re thinking ‘I just can’t do it anymore’, but you’re not thinking about the aftermath; you’re not thinking that you’re somebody’s someone and that’s what I want people to know.”

For Mrs Griffin, the fight to help youth has only just begun.

Sean’s mother revealed she was advocating with Eurobodalla Council to install suicide prevention flyers in every toilet in the region.

Each flyer would contain the message, “You’re somebody’s someone”, and a QR code leading to a number of websites from Lifeline to #Talktomebro.

“I want it in toilets because nobody’s going to judge you, nobody’s going to ask why are you taking a picture of that?” she said.

“Anything to make it easier for people struggling, I will do it – I’ll do it for Sean.”

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Originally published as Mourning South Coast mother Deanne Griffen’s mission to stop youth suicide after losing son Sean