I remember when Marvin Gaye’s dad shot him dead. It was April 1st, 1984, I was 10 years old and was very upset by what happened. Although Marvin’s dad was suffering from a long bout of mental illness and drug abuse, he had a history of dishing out verbal and physical abuse to the Gaye family. A toxic mix.
I listened to a lot of Marvin growing up.
Rolling Stone magazine rank’s Marvin Gaye’s album What’s Going On as album of the year in 1971. Mercy, Mercy Me was one of the three #1 hits on the album.
Mercy, Mercy Me is as relevant today as it was +30 years ago. So to is the not-so-talked about mental illness that Marvin endured prior to his death.
Mood Disorders of Ontario and Canadian Mental Health Association researchers have documented that one in three Canadians will suffer from a mental health issue in their lifetime.
The loss of a loved one. A mid-life crisis. A work related episode.
Some cases more severe than others. Many simply requiring that people in need find help, just knowing that it is OK to talk about it without fear of stigmatism.
Issues of mental wellness is something that we want to actively promote as part of our Timeraiser and Civic Footprint programming.
