Nelson Star Wednesday, January 13, 2016
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Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Vol.8 • Issue 56
Rosemont school welcomes Mr. M See Page 2
Quin Hall reaches for the big leagues See Page 9
Coming clean
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Nelson Leafs assistant coach Sean Dooley launches mental health awareness program
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Nelson Leafs assistant coach Sean Dooley wants to help young athletes suffering from mental illness. Tyler Harper photo
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Nelson Star
t’s taken Sean Dooley 25 years to admit what he’s known all along. A quarter century to look in the mirror and speak aloud about what has haunted him, what he’s denied over and over to friends, family and himself. But here it is, finally, without censor, because he wants to prevent others from making the mistakes he made. Dooley was sexually abused as a child. He suffers from clinical depression. He has attempted suicide. He has been addicted to alcohol and drugs. And, at 30 years old, he has spent the majority of his life being terrified of anyone finding out. Dooley isn’t afraid anymore. In an extensive interview with the Star, the Nelson Leafs assistant coach revealed a history of tragedy that led to and sustained his mental illness, as well as his plans to prevent others from following the same path. This week, Dooley and the Leafs will launch Breakout, a player assistance and mental health awareness program for young athletes, coaches and parents. The program, which will create a support structure at a local level, will be the first of its kind in Junior B hockey. “When I was ready to give up on myself and I said that, I had people who weren’t ready to give up on me,” said
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Dooley. “And that’s what we want to do with this program for these young athletes. I wish I knew about this when I was that age because it could have saved me. Things might have went exactly the same but had I asked for help and surrendered to this, then I could have nipped this a lot earlier in my adult life.”
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ooley was born in Nelson and grew up in one of the city’s most public families. His father, John, is a former mayor and currently the Leafs’ team president. His mother, Pat, was a schools superintendent. He also has two older sisters, Shelagh and Erin. All people who loved him and, according to Dooley, knew nothing about how the family’s youngest child used to cry alone in his bedroom. He was five when he was sexually abused. Dooley declines to say who did it, although it was someone he knew. He added he was too young to entirely understand what had happened to him for another six years when, after learning about abuse in school, he realized he was a victim. In retrospect, Dooley wishes he had said something about the abuse. But he was too scared of the possibility that no one believed him, what other kids would say, or that it would destroy his dreams of NHL stardom. “I felt dirty. I felt weird. I knew something had happened to me and I just felt wrong. I felt uncomfortable with myself,” he said. “But I didn’t want to CONTINUED ON A19
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