Accountant Greg Ziegler is always dealing in dollars. But there’s one figure the Hillside resident has focused on since last September – he wants to raise a whooping $10,220 for youth suicide awareness and prevention.
Mr Ziegler was spurred into action after a seemingly happy 19-year-old work colleague took his own life last year.
“We had no idea there was anything wrong. He was one of those guys who fitted in with everyone, really sociable and smart,” the business owner said.
“One Tuesday morning, we got a call from his aunt telling us the bad news.”
He said it shook up his young team pretty badly and, as a parent of 15-year-old twin sons and a 10-year-old daughter, “it really hit home”.
“My personal thing was if we couldn’t help this kid, how could we potentially help others in a similar situation?” the 42-year-old said.
“So I thought I’d go on this journey and raise as much as I could for others who may be in the same place.”
Mr Ziegler has completed the Noosa triathlon, the Ballarat Half Ironman and is now preparing for the Melbourne Ironman in March.
Funds raised go to ReachOut.com, an online mental health service for young people. Donate at give.everydayhero.com/au/greg-34.
Lifeline: 13 11 14 or www.reachout.com.
