Chippewa Intermediate and Secondary School teacher Robyn Colvin received a North Bay Police Services Board commendation for her role in saving the life of a suicidal woman who had taken a large quantity of anti-depressants, mixed with alcohol, and waded into the waters of Lake Nipissing in the wee hours of July 13, 2016, intent on ending her life.
The commendation reads: "In recognition of your courage, timely response and selfless actions in coming to the aid of a fellow citizen whose life was in danger," and is signed by Police Board Chair Dennis O'Connor and Chief of Police Shawn Devine.
Cst. Adair received the Chief's Commendation for "quick and decisive actions [that] exhibited excellence in policing, pride in professionalism and compassion for those in need.
Adair was at the scene of a traffic accident and could not attend the presentation to Colvin this morning, but the two shared some quiet words and posed for a picture when he did arrive at police headquarters.
When asked if he had any comment on the ordeal, Adair smiled and pointed to Colvin, saying that today was all about the angel who had saved a life in the water that night.
For Colvin, who has acknowledged and made great strides in her battles with mental illness, the entire ordeal was a wake-up call to how easy any of us could bounce back and forth between being the hero and/or the victim in this situation.
Colvin has taken a proactive approach in traditional media, social media, and even in her classroom in addressing the issue of suicide and suicide prevention.
She says her experience in the months since the rescue, receiving media exposure, being labelled a hero, receiving the commendation for her bravery, will go directly into her lesson plan. She says that rather than hang the plaque she received Wednesday in her home, she will instead display it in her classroom.
"I'm doing a mindfulness elective right now [with my class] and I'm going to talk to them about my experiences this afternoon. Suicide and suicide attempts are a tough thing to talk about. It would be much easier for everyone to celebrate this if somebody had fallen out of a boat, but the mental illness aspect, and because I'm open with my own struggles, it makes you walk a bit of a different line because unfortunately, that stigma is there.
"There is a big gap in every part of society as far as mental health awareness. I know there's 'Bell Let's Talk,' but how about 'Bell Let's Act?' Let's make some services, let's figure out why we have no psychiatrists in North Bay. Let's figure how out we have a forensic psychiatry ward, with no forensic psychiatrist on staff.
"Without a real hearty look at what our services are, and wanting to fill in the gaps in those services, [the woman we saved] won't be the last," added Colvin.
