The wife of a Canberra man who died by suicide used what would have been his 40th birthday to urge men and their families to seek help for depression and mental illness.
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Jenny Heddle's husband Stuart, 39, left his Chisholm home to walk to water polo training on the morning of December 13. He never came home.
His disappearance was so out of character that Mrs Heddle was convinced the father-of-two had been injured and would soon turn up at hospital.
After a high-profile search that lasted several days police knocked on the door to tell Mrs Heddle her husband of 17 years was dead.
Mrs Heddle spoke of her family's "astronomical" loss earlier this year in the hope it might prevent another Canberra man from suffering in silence and taking his life.
Mr Heddle would have celebrated his 40th birthday last week. It prompted his wife to challenge the shame and stigma that surrounded men's mental illness and suicide.
"My husband was a beautiful man, we had a happy loving marriage and two amazing kids.
"If it can happen to him it can happen to anyone. I saw no signs, it's frightening."
Earlier this year, Lifeline Canberra called on the ACT government to do more to prevent what it described as a "dramatic" surge in suicides in the capital.
The number of confirmed suicides in Canberra increased from 24 in 2012 to 37 in 2013 but Lifeline was told the number has continued to increase in 2014 and 2015.
Nationally, men account for three out of five deaths by suicide and it is the 10th leading cause of death for males.
Mrs Heddle took to social media this week to encourage her friends to honour Mr Heddle's birthday by asking a friend "Are you OK?"
"But really ask and really listen," she wrote on Facebook.
"Life can change in an instant and the damage left behind is crippling.
"So I ask you all to check in with someone, maybe even meet with them for a coffee or drink and make sure they are OK. It's so important."
Support is available for anyone who may be distressed by phoning Lifeline 131 114; Mensline 1300 789 978; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800.
