WINDSOR LOCKS – Friends and family held a candlelight vigil to remember Brennan Colli who committed suicide last month.
Those that knew 20-year-old Brennan said the news stunned them and since the incident, the community has been looking to find the good in the bad by speaking out on suicide prevention since it has been happening too many times.
“I found my son. I was the one who came home to him,” said Jason Colli, Brennan’s father.
It was on April 20, 2017 when Brennan took his own life. His father said Brennan had a lot on his plate, including relationship issues.
“I was trying to get him to talk but he didn’t want to talk. He was holding it in,” added Colli.
The community was shocked. Brennan was a very popular football player at Windsor Locks High School.
Brennan’s father added, “This kid was just never home because he just had so many friends, so many people he could’ve turned to.”
Pictures of Brennan from young childhood through adolescence, were placed on posters for everyone to see and people shared their best memories of him. One of them was Jason Qua, he was Brennan’s high school football coach.
“You never know what someone is going through. You never know what someone is going through,” said Qua.
Candles were lit, music was played and prayers were read as his loved ones broke down in tears, remembering the young life that was taken too soon.
A member with the Jordan Porco Foundation was there to show support. Matt Riley said he knows the feeling all too well as one of his children also took their own life.
“It could be a clinical diagnosis such as depression or mental health disorder or a mental illness but it also could simply be that a young person is isolated or alienated,” said Riley.
Riley touched on how teen suicide is becoming more common, so common that shows are being made about it such as “13 Reasons Why” on Netflix.
While he said it is good, the show opens up the conversation about suicide, it is also worrisome.
“There is a lot of concern about the show glamorizing elements of suicide or some other very difficult things that teenagers tend to struggle with,” added Riley.
Both Brennan’s father and Riley said thoughts of suicide can affect anyone.
“It affects the popular person, the friendly person, the very outgoing, young adult,” added Riley.
Friday would have been Brennan’s 20th birthday. This is the third suicide that has hit the town in recent weeks.