‘SUPPORT GOT US THROUGH’
AFTER flowers, balloons, candles and tributes were left in memory of her son, the support from her community inspired her to give something back.
Nicola Abraham’s son Jacob, from Cardiff, took his own life on October 11 last year. He was just 24.
Speaking about Jacob’s death, Nicola, a counsellor for the charity Barnardo’s, said: “His depression wasn’t clinical but circumstantial.
“Every time he went out and had alcohol and recreational drugs he would become depressed. It would take him days to be himself again.
“It was just that one occasion when there was a rave and he went off to that. He had taken cocaine and Ecstasy and we believe it was a contributor to his death.
“He had been clean for six weeks, eating healthy and training, and the crash in his system contributed to suicidal thoughts and behaviour.”
Friends and family lit candles and left many pictures, flowers, cards and balloons at the railings of Splott Park on Muirton Road in Tremorfa in the hours after his death.
Nicola now wants to give something back to the community after it helped her and her family in their hour of need.
With the help of her friend Nicola McCue, Nicola has set up a founda- tion named after her son to raise funds and awareness about male suicide.
The Jacob Abraham Foundation will set up training in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan in suicide prevention and intervention, to fund more posters and leaflets about male suicide, provide workshops on mindfulness and well-being for young people, and to provide aftercare for families affected by suicide.
Friend Nicola, who looks after the funding side of the foundation, said a number of events such as a barbecue and a group of people running the World Half Marathon Championships in Cardiff in March had raised in the region of £25,000.
A bench was also placed in Splott Park in memory of Jacob, using money raised by the community.
She said: “The foundation has been a great thing for Jacob’s mum and dad and it’s been a good focus for them and they feel they are helping other people by raising this money and the awareness.
“There’s not enough awareness out there about suicide which is the biggest killer of men under 50.”
A “mini-marathon” is due to take place today followed by a family fun day with music and a bouncy castle at Tremorfa Park from 11am to 3pm.
It will begin with a 1.2km race for young children followed by a 5k race for older children.
There will also be a football tournament on July 23 in Tremorfa Park as well as more than 100 people taking part in the Cardiff Half Marathon on behalf of the charity in October.
Speaking about her son’s love of sport, Nicola said: “Six days before he died he ran the Cardiff Half Mara- thon. Jake loved football, it was his huge passion and he was very talented himself.
“He was very laid back sensitive. He was a quiet loved by everybody and he harmless.
“He just had a very dry sense of humour and made people laugh without intending to.”
Speaking about the support of the community following Jacob’s death, Nicola said: “They were absolutely amazing, and it got us through the and boy was worst week of our lives knowing everyone was supporting us.
“Because of the stigma surrounding suicide, families are going into hiding with the guilt and shame when there is no reason to be.
“The community were fantastic. They were on board and supportive and we needed to give something back.”
A website for the Jacob Abraham Foundation is due to be up and running next week.