Citing health, Coun. Jody Mitic won’t run again
Jody Mitic announced Saturday he was putting family and health first and would not seek re-election as city councillor for the east end Innes ward.
“I am not seeking re-election in order to spend time with my family and to ensure that my personal health and well-being are prioritized,” Mitic said in a statement.
An Afghan war veteran who lost both of his legs below the knees in 2007 when he stepped on a landmine, Mitic hit a rough patch personally last year.
Mitic, who attended the Innes Ward Easter Pancake Breakfast in Orléans on Saturday, told a radio interviewer in December that he had been battling depression and alcohol addiction.
“I am frankly not doing well mentally, I’m not doing well physically,” Mitic said in a candid inter- view on CFRA. He disclosed he’d also been having problems with his legs, forcing him to remove his prosthetics and use a wheelchair.
In his first book, Mitic explains in detail the events surrounding his battle injury and his subsequent addiction to painkilling medication.
“I’m used to putting myself out there, but I feel like I’ve failed my duty as a councillor in this particular couple of months by not being forward,” Mitic said in the radio interview. He added that he was determined to get more help, including going to Alcoholics Anonymous.
Mitic said he thought he’d escaped depression after being cleared for post-traumatic stress disorder and occupational stress injuries not long after the explosion in Afghanistan.
“When I had to leave the military, I was committed to finding another way to serve my country,” Mitic said in the release Saturday.
“Public office is an extreme honour to hold but it is also something that comes with great responsibility and sacrifice.”
In addition to his ward duties, Mitic was named council’s sports commissioner by Mayor Jim Watson.