‘One loss is one too many’: Family of Jonah Lear pay tribute to beloved son and brother

After the tragic death of their beloved son and brother, the family of Jonah Lear are on a mission to help others struggling with mental health issues.

The family of a Geelong teenager are on a quest to help others dealing with mental health struggles. Jonah Lear died by suicide in November last year. Picture: Supplied

The Lear family wakes up each day in what feels like a nightmare.

Their beloved son and brother Jonah died by suicide aged 18 in November, his death rocking the Geelong community.

His loved ones, mum Janina, dad Shane and younger sisters Bella and Lola, are now on a quest to help others dealing with mental health issues, in a bid to prevent others going through the same profound pain.

Ms Lear said Jonah was quiet kid but once you got to know him, he opened up to show his loving, funny personality.

“He was an easy kid, bringing smiles to our faces,” she said.

“Jonah always went with the flow and loved to explain his entire day as ‘chill’.”

Jonah found peace in his favourite places – at the beach and on the slopes.

He took up skiing at the age of three and loved to speed down the slopes every winter at Mount Buller.

“He found peace on the slopes,” Ms Lear said.

“Feeling free was a huge thing for Jonah.

“He found the night extremely peaceful and always left for night walks with his dog Sunny and headphones in.

“The feeling of having no one around him was very calming to him.”

Jonah Lear at the snow, one of his favourite places. Picture: Supplied

When Jonah turned 18 and found the freedom of getting his P-plates, he packed his life into his car and headed up north to live in Queensland for a short time.

“He moved his life up to Queensland, rolled down his windows and blasted his favourite songs,” Ms Lear said.

“Moving to Queensland gave him a huge chance to meet new people and experience new things.

“Unfortunately he could not stay there as long as he had wanted, which was the start of his mental health decline.”

Jonah died just days before he would have turned 19.

The Lear family said they were grateful for the support they had received in the wake of Jonah’s death.

“We are absolutely blown away by the community support we have received and continue to receive. This has really impacted people that we know and strangers alike,” Ms Lear said.

Young Jonah. Picture: Supplied

At a memorial service for the Highton teenager in December, mourners were told suicide was “heartbreakingly common”.

Suicide is the leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 24, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

In 2021, 322 Australians aged 18 to 24 died by suicide.

A spokeswoman from youth mental health provider headspace Geelong said it had experienced an increase in the number of young people coming forward to seek mental health treatment.

“The mental health system in Australia is under significant pressure with increase of referrals and headspace Geelong is no exception,” she said.

Mental health, drugs and alcohol services clinical director at Barwon Health, Professor Steve Moylan, said about 1900 young people aged 12 to 25 reached out to its mental health crisis support triage service in 2022.

“Compared to the previous year, there was a slight decrease in the number of young people contacting our mental health crisis support triage service,” Prof Moylan said.

Jonah Lear. Picture: Supplied.

Ms Lear said she believed young people could feel they were unable to be helped, or were weak, if they spoke up.

“We have to change the narrative,” she said.

She has a powerful message for those facing challenges – it is not weak to speak up and reach out for help.

“If you are struggling with mental health and believe the world is a better place without you, it’s not,” Ms Lear said.

“The gravity of the grief and suffering of this loss is unfathomable and not only affects our closest family but everyone around us.”

The Lear family is planning on placing a bench at Point Addis, where Jonah’s body was found, in memory of their son for anyone who needs a space to feel safe and breathe.

The family would also like to start a foundation in Jonah’s name for those struggling with mental health issues.

“We believe it has to stop. We can’t accept that it is happening,” Ms Lear said.

“One loss is one too many.”

Originally published as ‘One loss is one too many’: Family of Jonah Lear pay tribute to beloved son and brother