TIME WE TALK
BRIAN GRAHAM was preparing to run out under the lights at Celtic Park but his brother would not leave the darkness of his mum’s middle room.
Almost a decade on, the 33-year-old striker recalls it as the moment he knew his sibling Daniel wasn’t well, a moment that will always stay with him.
So too does walking down the hill from Stark’s Park to have his dad tell him his older brother was in hospital after a suicide attempt.
And, four years ago, when Graham lost his sibling a few months shy of him turning 40.
Partick Thistle will line up tonight in an SPFL Trust Trophy tie rendered meaningless compared to the cause the third round is shining a light on, that of FC United to Prevent Suicide, a national campaign to save lives.
It is for that reason former Raith Rovers frontman Graham has chosen to open up on his own personal experience for the first time, in the hope other families do not suffer the same fate.
And in the hope that change is not just seen within football after players throughout the game got behind FC United but the community at large.
Speaking candidly about his sibling’s initial attempt to take his own life, Graham said: “I stayed out of the house at this particular point. This had all happened on the Friday night, I didn’t know anything about it.
“I remember playing the game the next day and I came out of Stark’s Park. I don’t know if I’d scored but I was on a high.
“We’re walking down the hill to my dad’s car and he said, ‘Listen I need to speak to you...’.
“We went from there straight to the hospital to see my brother.
“He did get sectioned that time but in due course after that there was never, ever enough done for him.”
With the support of his family, good days did follow in the ensuing years. But ultimately, Graham and his father took him back to hospital, such was their concern for his mental health.
After a few hours, though, Graham says the three of them were allowed to walk out the door despite their pleas for him to be sectioned again. Daniel died the next day. Graham said: “He got the support from us, obviously we
Brian Graham is pictured wearing the FC United to Prevent Suicide kit, as part of a national campaign to save lives. You can follow the team on Twitter: @_FCUnited. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health or feeling suicidal, please don’t hesitate to ask for help by contacting your GP, NHS24 on 111, Samaritans on 116 123 or Breathing Space on 0800 83 58 87. tried to help him in every way we could. You could see he had down days, you could see when he had good days and bad days.
“But I remember when I realised he was really not well was in my mum’s middle room.
“I was playing for Raith Rovers and we had a cup game against Celtic at Parkhead.
“My brother was a big Celtic fan, as kids we grew up Celtic fans and that was the first time I was going to play at Parkhead.
“I was very excited, I wanted my brother to be there, see me walking out at Parkhead but he was in the room with the light off and didn’t want to speak to anybody.
“Obviously then I knew he wasn’t well because he would have been buzzing to come to that game, to see me at Parkhead.
“I think it is getting better where people are spreading the word, there are more people speaking out.
“But I still believe there are not enough people who will speak out because they probably feel a bit embarrassed.
“Because I remember at the time when it happened with my brother, I was a bit taken aback by it, I was a bit embarrassed.
“I didn’t want anybody knowing about it. If I’m being honest, it was from a personal, probably a selfish, point on my part because I was in the public eye.
“I didn’t want this out about my family and what has happened to my brother.
“But as you get a bit older and you realise when you get a chance to do something like this, you just need to get it out and speak out.
“And if this story could help another family, that is why I’m doing it.” Graham has not only