The Promise I Made After Losing Maddie, And Why I’m Keeping It on Substack
What My First Week on Substack Taught Me
And why it’s not just another platform for me
I’ve been on LinkedIn for close to 15 years.
But I didn’t understand how to use it, really use it, until about 18 months ago.
That’s when things shifted.
Because I stopped floating and started telling the truth.
In 2015, my daughter Maddie died by suicide at just 14.
The grief swallowed my existence.
For years, I was merely surviving.
And then slowly, I started to talk about it. Honestly.
I shared what most dads won’t.
And something remarkable happened. People responded.
Because many parents saw their own struggle inside mine.
Over the past 18 months, I’ve had over 2,000 conversations with parents.
In DMs. On calls. After keynotes. Through podcasts. Emails.
Three questions come up more than any others:
How do I know if my teen is struggling or if it’s just normal behaviour?
How do I get them to open up without shutting down?
Where can I get real mental health resources—fast?
I know these questions intimately. Because I asked them myself a decade ago.
And I didn’t get clear answers.
So I built The MentorWell.
What is The MentorWell?
MentorWell started as a way to give families something we never had:
A non-clinical support system.
A place where parents and teens could be seen, supported, and guided by people who’ve lived it.
It’s not therapy, but it can prevent the need for it if caught early enough.
It’s mentorship, rooted in emotional intelligence, lived experience, and non-judgment.
But we didn’t stop there. Because the problem goes deeper.
Most parents don’t know how to tell the difference between “teenage stuff” and real emotional distress.
And most are carrying that fear silently, especially at work.
When your child is struggling, you’re struggling.
That’s why we created:
LifeLine Parent Workshops (built on those 3 key questions)
MentorWell Mentorship Program (support for the teen)
Expedited Diagnosis and Referral Service (for families who need rapid clinical care for kids 0-17)
MentorWell Parent Circle on Skool (a private, parent-to-parent supportive community)
This is Maddie’s legacy.
A promise I made years ago, that no other parent should have to face this kind of loss without support, without a path, and without someone saying: You’re not alone.
Why Substack?
Because too many families still don’t know these resources exist.
And some of them are hanging on by a thread.
I’m not interested in building an email list.
I want to build reach and community.
My Substack isn’t pomp and circumstance. Anything but.
It’s the raw, steady truth from a dad who’s been through the unthinkable, and still believes families can write a different story.
If you want to follow along
Here’s where you can find more:
🔹 Substack: [Subscribe here]
For honest stories, tools for parents, and insights on supporting teens who are struggling.
🔹 LinkedIn: [Follow my profile]
Where I continue to share the journey, the learnings, and the hard truths, with hope.
🔹 MentorWell Parent Circle (on Skool): [Join the community]
A private space for parents navigating the thick of it together.
Maddie’s brothers, Zac and Sawyer, are part of this tribute too.
Because this is a promise.
And we intend to keep it.
P.S.
If you’re a parent carrying something heavy, or you support parents in any way, I'd be honoured to have you walk this road with us.
We see you. We’ve been there. And you don’t have to do it alone.
