This episode is very personal, June 9, 2009 my brother in law Brian Cardall was killed by police due to mental illness. Today June 9, 2022 I share his story on the podcast.
My father in law Duane Cardall is my guest and shares more about Brian and his life, about his illness and details about his death. Duane also shares the contrast in care he observed between two sons. Duane's oldest son Paul was born with a severe congenital heart defect and has had multiple complex open heart surgeries and has always had world class care. Brian started to show symptoms of severe mental illness in college and it was so difficult to find even adequate care for him when he was in crisis. He was often held at the hospital for 48-72 hours, given medication and wished good luck. The inadequacy of the mental health care system is something that absolutely should be addressed and fixed.
The stigma surrounding mental illness is still so prevalent and speaking up and speaking out about is one way to lessen the stigma and let people know they aren't alone.