Yahoo News Sister of tragic Jarrow teen Evan Hansen launches mental health fundraising mission
The heartbroken sister of tragic teenager Evan Hansen has vowed to help others get mental health help before it is too late.
Evan died in hospital three days after he was found seriously injured on a path close to the A19 in South Tyneside. Hours earlier the 17-year-old had disappeared from his home in the middle of the night without warning.
Evan had suffered from mental health problems in the run-up to his death and his family believe he took his own life. Now in a bid to help other's get the help they need Evan's big sister has launched a fundraising mission in support of a mental health charity that helps young people.
Shannon will be tackling the Great North Run in September to raise money for YoungMinds in her brother's memory. And today she has told the Chronicle why she just had to do something to try and help young people battling mental health difficulties.
The 27-year-old said: "Evan did want help but there's just no help out there. Evan always use to ask me to do the Great North Run with him and I always used to say 'no' because I couldn't run. But now I'm doing it on his behalf. I'm going to do it for him."
Evan lived in Jarrow with his mum Kirsty, 45, and four siblings, Shannon, Brittany, 26, Zac, eight and six-year-old Alara. After finishing his education at Jarrow School he became an apprentice plater at Hebburn-based A&P Tyne. And Shannon said her ambitious brother dreamed of running his own business one day.
Evan's family said he was a happy lad but would sometimes suffer from episodes where he would get down, especially when he was under stress. Shannon said her family had tried to get help for Evan. But after being turned away from local mental health services they simply did not know where to go.
"Evan was just in limbo," she said. "He was 17, he was too old for kids' services but too young for adults' services."
Shannon hopes that as well as raising vital funds for YoungMinds she can also raise awareness of the charity for other families who do not know where to turn.
"People don't know where to go for help," she said. "We didn't know about this charity until after it's happened."
Evan was found seriously injured on the path, near his home, on the morning of May 15. Police were initially treating his death as "unexplained" but detectives say they are now satisfied no one else was involved.
A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said: "Shortly before 6.10am on Wednesday, May 15, we received a report of concern for a male who was understood to be walking along the side of the A19, close to the south entrance to the Tyne Tunnel in Jarrow.
“The male, later identified as Evan Hansen, had sustained serious injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment. However, despite the best efforts of medical staff, he sadly died on Saturday, May 18.
"We have subsequently carried out a full and thorough investigation into Evan's death. Following our enquiries, we believe there to be no third-party involvement and a report is now being prepared for the coroner.”
