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“Young people were the most fearless ... It is very powerful to see what has been done in such a short period of time.” – Stephanie Richardson, Do it For Daron
Like never before, young people are becoming advocates for charities and social causes that are important to their future, underlining the need for society to support them with both time and treasure By Jeff Todd The trauma of losing a child, whether you are a parent or not, is painful for anyone to imagine – especially if that child is lost to suicide. But in reality, the grief is so consuming that it’s difficult to even put into words. “It is very hard to articulate,” says Stephanie Richardson, whose daughter, Daron, passed away in November 2010. She was 14 years old. “I was truly devastated, although that cannot begin to describe it. I was destroyed. We all were.” Daron’s passing sent shockwaves throughout Ottawa and beyond. Her father, former NHL defenceman Luke Richardson, was an assistant coach with the Ottawa Senators at the time. Thousands of friends, family, fans and players from around the league packed Ottawa’s NHL arena five days later to celebrate Daron’s life. Then something unexpected happened. Forged from tragedy, a youth movement began in Ottawa. It started with a women’s hockey tournament just days after the memorial, when Daron’s teammates hit the ice while adorned in purple ribbons, stickers and shoelaces – Daron’s favourite colour. They trounced the opposition 27-2 in those games and went on to win the tournament. It was a statement win unlike any other. “Do it For Daron,” or DIFD, was born, aimed at ending the stigma surrounding mental health. It sparked an
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Youth rising
Following the death of 14-year-old Daron Richardson, friends and family members launched “Do it For Daron,” or DIFD, to improve awareness, inspire conversations and transform youth mental health. In 2018, the inaugural Ottawa Law Classic charity hockey game, pictured, raised some $10,000 for the Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health. PHOTO BY CAROLINE PHILIPS
Young people around the world are becoming more involved in charitable and social causes than perhaps any time in history. In 2018, millions of young people protested in Washington D.C. (below) and other U.S. cities in response to gun violence. And, in 2019, Swedish activist Greta Thunberg helped energize the global climate change debate.
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unprecedented youth movement in Ottawa that has not only resonated locally, but also internationally in communities and hockey arenas around North America. It is a legacy that continues to this day. “Young people were the most fearless,” Stephanie says. “They started it and gave everyone else permission to talk about it. It just wasn’t discussed at the time. It is actually kind of shocking, and yet it is very powerful to see what has been done in such a short period of time.”
A force to be reckoned with In many respects, DIFD was ahead of its time – a harbinger of things to come. Today, young people across Canada and the world have become more involved in charitable and social causes than perhaps any time in history. The student-led protest March for Our Lives was formed in March 2018 in response to U.S. gun violence. Nearly two million people took part in a march in Washington D.C. and other cities across the U.S.
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