Burlington students mourn after fellow student took his own life

A group of Burlington high school students are coming together after a fellow student took his life over the weekend.

The teens at Corpus Christi Catholic Secondary wore blue to stand together and start a conversation about the tragedy. They placed flowers, candles and stuffed animals where they say the teen used to park his car.

His family has asked that we not identify their son. His friends who spoke with us today say they are in disbelief, they never imagined this could happen.

Suicide is a sensitive conversation, but one teenage psychotherapist Vielka Alamarzar believes it a very important one to have.

Alamarzar says teens should ask questions and be interested in others to let them know they are not alone. “We don’t know when someone may be ill or depressed and if we are with them, if we are present with them we can perhaps make them enjoy the present and want to be alive,” she said.

According to the Ontario Association for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the second leading cause of death for Canadians teens and one in 10 teenagers think about taking their own life.