Sean Farrell’s story is both beautiful and touching. We are grateful to have received so many notes and generous donations in his memory. Sean continues to live in his love for nature and helping both animals and humans.
Sean was an energetic 14 year old who loved nature and the outdoors all his life. He was truly happy walking around a pond or wading down a stream looking for fish to catch, frogs and turtles to grab, and snakes to slither around his hands. He could have opened a zoo if we had let Sean keep just a small fraction of the animals that met him.
He was never happier than when he had a fishing pole in his hands. People often wondered how Sean, the kid in almost a constant state of motion, was able to sit still long enough to enjoy fishing. It would all make sense to them when we explained Sean’s preferred method of fishing; at least 2 lines in the water, 3 even better, Dad to change lures and bait hooks, and a large enough area to change locations constantly.
While there were a steady supply of reptiles and other sorted animals in Sean’s life, his turtle, Mr. Nibbles, and his bunny, Snowball, were his most beloved. Ah yes, Snowball, he loved that bunny. He loved having it, holding it, chasing it around the yard, talking to it. Most of all, we think he loved being the boy with a bunny. Cleaning its cage? Eh..not so much.
Sean shocked us all in his choice to take his life. He never demonstrated self-destructive thoughts or behaviors to us. We thought his ADHD and mood swings were under control with medication and counseling, but we think it was a strong impulse that overtook him and must have made him lose sight of how loved he was. And although we are deeply devastated by this tragedy, we feel that it can remind us to take a pause and seek help and support if our emotions seem out of control.
Sean will always live on in our hearts and minds. With the miracle of modern medicine in the form on organ donations he is helping 3 more people as he left us. And with the generous donations from family and friends to Healing Companions he continues to help those in need. ~ Jim and Moe Farrell
