Enniskillen woman speaks out to break suicide stigma

For most of her life, Enniskillen woman Cherry Ingram carried a grief that was rarely spoken about – not just because of its personal weight, but because of the silence society so often wraps around it.
Her father, Gunnar Johansson, died by suicide on January 5, 1998. Cherry was just 18 months old.
Now, 27 years later, Cherry is finding her voice, and using it to challenge the stigma that surrounds suicide and mental health.
“My dad died by suicide when I was very young, I was 18 months old and it is something I have always felt like I couldn’t speak about,” Cherry told the ‘Herald.
She said that silence wasn’t only her own, but also came from others’ discomfort with the subject.
“Either because of the stigma, and I suppose people’s own concerns about how much to ask and not really knowing how to approach the subject, because it is just something we don’t talk about.”
While Cherry has no clear memories of her father, the emotional impact of his loss has stayed with her throughout her life.
“What people don’t realise is the impact it has on someone like me who loses a loved one so early on in life,” she said.
“Always the first question that I get is, ‘Do you remember him?’ And I have to say no, I don’t have a vivid memory of him. Then there is that feeling that I’m not entitled to grieve, and not entitled to feel anything because people don’t understand that it has such a huge impact.
“You might not have the visual memories but your body remembers – my body remembers that pain. Years later, I am still feeling that pain and I feel the loss.”
Wanting to express her grief and raise awareness in a way that felt true to her, Cherry turned to creativity, producing a video that blends memories, emotion and honesty.
Through this deeply personal project, she tells her story in her own words, combining old home footage with present-day reflections to help open up conversation about suicide and mental health.
The video was first shared during a mental health awareness meeting hosted by Enniskillen Rugby Club, where Cherry was invited to speak about her experience.
“I like being a bit creative and I think that helps me in my own journey… to make something that communicates my story while still being creative and getting the message out there,” she said.
Raising awareness
Cherry said her motivation was to raise awareness and help others feel less alone.
“To raise awareness about the subject, share the grief experienced by those bereaved by suicide like myself, but also to highlight the far-reaching impact on the community in general,” she said.
“Everyone has been touched by it in some way. It’s about highlighting the stigma around mental health and suicide, and the importance of speaking openly, because both my dad’s story and my story stem from that stigma and the pain of not being able to talk about our emotions.
“It is important to reach out to others, to check in, to listen. These are really difficult things to talk about – they’re painful and uncomfortable – but avoiding them doesn’t solve anything.”