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Daniel’s mum and dad Diane and John with brother James, will be commemorating Daniel’s life later this month. Inset: Daniel Kennedy
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Bench tribute to teenager who lost depression battle
Memorial to son who died after fall from ninth floor of flats block
A MEMORIAL bench will be unveiled later this month to celebrate the life of a Finsbury teenager who committed suicide 18 months ago.
Daniel Kennedy, who suffered from depression, died in August, 2005, after throwing himself from a ninth-floor window of Michael Cliffe House on the Finsbury estate.
Hundreds of mourners, including relatives, friends and neighbours, attended his funeral.
The £3,250 cost of a memorial bench, painted Arsenal red with a small bronze plaque, will be met by EC1 New Deal for Communities regeneration body.
Daniel’s mother, Diane, said: “We wanted something that would be a permanent reminder of Daniel that everyone could enjoy and so no one could forget him.”
The bench will be placed at a spot next to Michael Cliffe House where Daniel used to play as a child.
His mother praised the support given by EC1 New Deal. “Without them this would not have been possible,” she said.
The bench will be unveiled on Saturday, March 31, the day after what would have been Daniel’s 20th birthday.
His family have, as much as is possible, come to terms with the death of their eldest son. But each milestone brings with it a fresh series of emotional challenges.
Daniel had been suffering from years of depression, brought on by the life-threatening illness of his mother, who witnessed his suicide.
After falling from Michael Cliffe house on a hot summer’s day, he was taken to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel. There, he received a blood transfusion and 20 specialists tried in vain to save him. He was alive for more than 12 hours before dying of internal bleeding. Daniel had lived in Michael Cliffe House for 15 years with his parents, John, a courier, and Diane, and brother, Jamie, an apprentice plumber and electrician.
Three weeks after his death, to the sounds of Puff Daddy’s I’ll Be Missin’ You, mourners paid their last respects to Daniel at a Roman Catholic funeral Mass at Our Most Holy Redeemer Church, in Exmouth Market, and later at East Finchley Crematorium.
Mrs Kennedy hopes her son’s death has helped highlight the plight of young people suffering depression.
She said: “The past few weeks have been quite emotional because it’s coming up to Daniel’s birthday.
“I hope this shows the need for young people who are depressed to seek help, and that’s what I always tell them.
“I want Daniel’s death to have drummed in to them not to do anything stupid.”
A public ceremony to mark the unveiling of the bench will be held at 2pm on March 31 at Michael Cliffe House. Afterwards, a private buffet for family and friends will be followed by drinks to celebrate Daniel’s birthday at the Exmouth Arms, Exmouth Market, from 6.30pm, to which all are welcome.
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