by Melissa Newland
Mental health issues and suicide too often go hand in hand and one L’Anse mother is taking action to bring the issue to the forefront after the loss of her daughter. Shelley and Lyndon Ekdahl along with their family felt the devastating effects of this problem when their eldest daughter Shantell recently “saved herself by suicide” March 23, 2024, after battling mental health issues for many years. “Committed suicide—that is a phrase that should never be used. There are other ways to say it,” commented Shelley. “This is the beginning of how we should speak of suicide and what she was going through. Shantell made several attempts to save herself by admitting herself into a psychiatric ward in Green Bay twice, seeing a therapist and doctor for her mental health and being prescribed medications for treatment, eating healthy and exercising to maintain a healthy baseline; all of which were not effective and ultimately led her to make this decision.” To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.