Today is #BellLetsTalk Day in Canada. Probably my favorite tradition we have with the Chasing MacNaughton Podcast is taking one episode every season since our 2nd season to take a step back and talk about mental health, especially for men who are usually the ones that have the most stigma around talking to anyone let alone a therapist about their problems.
Back in 2021 our first Bell Let’s Talk episode featured Mark Wick, a hockey coach who went through is own crisis by lashing out with anger while being a coach. In 2022 we continued with Kyle Shiely, a college hockey fan who had posted his story of personal struggles on twitter. Last year in 2023 we sat down with former Husky, David Johnstone to allow him the platform to discuss his struggles as an athlete at MTU and what he experienced after hockey was over for him.
This year, we reached out to a twitter friend who is a cohost on one of Tim’s favorite podcasts, Reporting as Eligible. Matt “Matub” Matonich has ended his podcast for quite some time by saying, “call your best friend, tell them you love them, its not too late until it actually is, open your best bottle, life is short.” It’s a mantra he tries to live by after some personal experience with an old friend.
call your best friend, tell them you love them, its not too late until it actually is, open your best bottle, life is short!
This all started because a member of Mitch’s Misfits took his own life back in 2019. It took us a long time to be willing to talk about it because of his family’s cultural beliefs. Eventually we started being honest about what happened and we at Tech Hockey Guide feel its important to talk about mental health and life’s challenges so that no one feels alone in this community.
The big take away from Matub’s lived experience is that no matter how long it has been since you talked to a friend, don’t let the passing of time be the reason to not send the a text or give them a call. We all have friends we’ve lost touch with that we wished we had not so please reach out if you want and reconnect before its too late.
Finally, if you or someone you know is struggling with depression, please ask for help. If you’re too scared to tell a close friend, please reach out to the Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
I will also include players for all of the previous Bell Let’s Talk Episodes:
Tim is a 2004 graduate of Michigan Tech. He is a co-founder of both Mitch’s Misfits and Tech Hockey Guide. With recent additions to the staff, Tim is again able to focus on his passion, recruiting. He currently works as an environmental engineer and resides in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Area.
