Our life changed on Monday 7th August 2017.  Daniel took his life 17 days before his 22nd birthday. Daniel was my stepson, one of five children, all in their twenties, with my husband David. 

Both David and I were members of Miners’ Promise after a colleague had passed away at site a few years earlier – he was married with three young children.  David and I work at Yandi in the Pilbara and we’d been there for over five and half years and on this day, we were on different rosters – David was on day shift at Yandi and I was on day shift in Perth.

Like most of us we talk every day more than once when we are apart. On this evening, his call was not our usual conversation. I heard muffled sounds over the phone and then heard his words “Daniel is dead”.  Both of us spiralled in all directions uncontrollably. David flew home the next day – that first 72 hours were sleepless and indescribable and has been a journey of many losses.  Our supervisors did their best to accommodate our needs and supported both of us.

Back in Perth together we had no idea what to do, where to start, no plan or direction.  We knew we had to do things.  We go to work each day leaving the family behind and miss out on a lot of things, we all make these sacrifices.  We never expect or plan to face tragedy and to have to go to a funeral of one of your children.

We made calls to family and friends and we also called Miners’ Promise. When we contacted Miners’ Promise, we had extremely raw emotions, confusion, sadness and we were in the unknown.  Within a day, a family support adviser from Miners’ Promise came into our home, our life and our family. Words cannot describe the days of just blur – everywhere we looked, our emotions and thoughts. I cannot express enough the intimate, connected support and services the family support adviser brought to our family.

Being there and sharing with us, supporting us with processes that are required to be done with the death of a loved one.  Being there and providing us with emotional support and counselling, and financial assistance.  Being there for direction and a path to follow and to help us deal with everything.  Many thanks for being there for us.  Thank you Miners’ Promise, from the bottom of our hearts. The oath of your promise is valued and our family will recover from the tragic changes to our lives. We are not alone; Miners’ Promise is more than a promise they are family. 

The trust we embraced with Miners’ Promise we will share with everyone we know and encourage others to become members.  We will push forward the amazing empowerment from having family support advisers join with us in the most devastating time and get through to find a future with our families. 

Truly an association who cares about you and your loved one.

Your Family – Our Family

Candice Burvill