FAMILY MAN…The late Kenny Andrews was a salesman with John Thompson & Sons
THE widow of a 47-year old Brookeborough man who took his own life near his home last week has appealed to people suffering from depression to open up about it.
It is thought to have been the sixth suicide in the county in the past six weeks.
Kenny Andrews, who was married to Joy and was the father of four, was found dead by his wife at hen houses near the family home on Wednesday last, 9th April. He was the father of Stephen (24), Jonathan (22) and 20-year old twins, Peter and Philip
He was a salesman for John Thompson & Sons Ltd, the meal company and, according to Mrs Andrews, ‘there weren’t many farms in Fermanagh he wasn’t at’.
But, she revealed that since Christmas last, he had been battling depression but that the only ones he told were herself, his brother and his wife and his GP.
“No, he didn’t tell the children because he didn’t want to annoy them, and that put more pressure on him because he was trying to cover up all the time, that there was nothing wrong with him.”
Mrs Andrews explained that, while her husband had been exposed to tragedy previously – he was 10 when his brother, David was killed in a tractor accident – and had suffered depression before, his condition became acute after last Christmas.
“David’s death obviously affected him too. He had depression 15 years ago, but they gave him a pill which worked and he was perfect since whatever happened at Christmas. His father (Richie, who is still alive) took ill and was on life support but came out of it but, whatever that triggered, he just went down.”
Just like the mother of 22-year old Paul Monaghan, who spoke openly about her son’s suicide, near Enniskillen last month, Mrs Andrews reinforced the ‘speak about it’ message, and she hit out at the lack of funding on mental health.
“Don’t hide it. It’s an illness just like cancer, but mental ill-health just seems to be pushed back.
“People need to talk and there needs to be more services. None of the farms he visited knew about his depression. He would say if this got out, farmers everywhere would be laughing at him.”
She explained that her husband was visiting his doctor since Chrismtas and that recently she had urged him to seek further professional help.
“I told him directly, ‘you will have to do something’, and the doctor arranged for him to see a psychiatrist. He saw a psychiatric nurse a couple of days later, but it would be a month before he was able to see a consultant psychiatrist.
“He should have been seeing the psychiatrist the next day. There needs to be more staff, and it’s the system, not the individuals, that’s at fault.
“He was on tablets for depression, but they take weeks before they start kicking in. He just kept going while waiting for his appointment, and I would say to him he had another week over him.”
Mrs Andrews then recalled finding her husband’s body at hen houses near the family home, and spoke about the kind of man he was before depression set in.
“He was the best of craic, the life and soul of everything. Any devilment there was, he had to be there, but this just floored him.
“Outside of home and work, he was in everything, especially the church. Anything that had to be done when he wasn’t well, he did. He was at the manse the week before this happened, helping them to take out a hedge.
“And, if someone wanted a bag of meal in the middle of the night, he had the key to the meal store in Brookeborough, he didn’t mind getting it.
“A few people, and it was only a few, noticed him quiet since Christmas. Afterwards they said if they had known, they would have talked to him, but that’s the way it goes.”
Mr Andrews funeral service – thought to be the biggest seen there – took place on Saturday last in Cloghr Valley Free Presbyterian Church. Burial was in the adjoining churchyard.
In addition to his wife and four children, Mr Andrews is survived by his 90-year old father, Richie and by his brother, Leslie (Ruth). He was pre-deceased by his mother, Marion and his brother, David.
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