'Don't let this be the end': Good Samaritan behind Lions Gate notes shares her story

Warning: This story contains references to suicide

Mysterious Good Samaritans have been posting handwritten suicide prevention messages along the railings of the Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver.  

CBC's The Early Edition tracked down Mindi Reynolds, the woman behind some of the more recent notes, to hear her story.

Twelve years ago, I lost a friend to suicide.

We had lived in the Interior together, and I had just moved back to Vancouver when I got the call.

I remember just feeling overwhelming amounts of guilt that I couldn't see the signs when I was there, and it's something I still grapple with to this day.

So when I read an article in late July about an 18-year-old girl from the U.K., Paige Hunter, who had been posting notes on the Wearmouth Bridge in England, I couldn't help but be inspired and connect with the story.  

I wanted to share the message that there is hope, so that the person reading it realizes that there are people out there who do care, even if they haven't met that person yet.

I've seen some similar messages of encouragement posted on the bridge before. I don't know who wrote them, but they filled me with so much happiness and so much hope.

'Having stood in your shoes'

One of the notes I posted on the bridge reads:

"Having stood in your shoes, knowing a similar pain, please hear me out: You are loved."

Some of the messages weren't written by me directly but sent to me, like that one, but it applied to me — it could very well have been me writing that note.

Mental health is something I struggled with as a teenager and I remember how knowing someone was there made a difference for me.

When I was 14, it was a really bad time — I'm not really sure why, it was just really bad.

I had made an attempt and that was a really obvious "I need help" call.

I had a very close friend and she was there for me. She was stuck to me like glue for awhile.

She took the tough love approach, saying things like, "Don't you ever put me through that again," and a lot of other things that are not fit to print.

It was great because it actually really worked for me.

Things I wish I'd said

I think about the power of reaching out quite often when I'm writing the notes.

I include the things I've said to friends and things that friends have said to me when I was in a really dark spot. Things that I wished I had said to my friend.

People who aren't even in the city were messaging me notes to post, reaching out from their own personal experiences.

We left a little over 75 notes and the plan for next year is to get up to 200 notes for the Lions Gate Bridge.

I'd like to think that when someone reads them, they get a sense that maybe there is hope, there is someone out there who cares.

And for people who aren't necessarily in that tough spot, it might make them realize they have friends struggling. They could reach out and say: "Hey, what's going on — I'm thinking about you."

With files from The Early Edition

Where to get help 

Canada Suicide Prevention Service

Toll free: 1-833-456-4566

Text: 45645

Chat: crisisservicescanada.ca

Association québécoise de prévention du suicide (AQPS) (French): 1-866-APPELLE

Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 (Phone), Live Chat counselling at www.kidshelpphone.ca

Find a 24-hour crisis centre

If you're worried someone you know may be at risk of suicide, you should talk to them, says the Canadian Association of Suicide Prevention. Here are some warning signs: 

Suicidal thoughts.
Substance abuse.
Purposelessness.
Anxiety.
Feeling trapped.
Hopelessness and helplessness.
Withdrawal.
Anger.
Recklessness.
Mood changes.

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