Blair Lobsinger, 16, is one of 16 winners of the 2018 Great Kids Award for his work with the Westlock-based Soul Sisters Memorial Foundation.
“It feels awesome,” he said. “It’s really boosted my confidence up way more. I knew I was doing good things, but now that I got recognized it makes me feel even better about what we’re doing here. It makes me feel really good to know we’re helping other people.”
The Morinville teen accepted the award, which recognizes young leaders ages five to 18, from Alberta Children’s Services Minister Danielle Larivee at a May 6 gala in Edmonton.
“To have that experience at such a young age, I can’t even imagine how difficult that was for him,” said Larivee.
His mother, Jeanelle “Nelly” Vachon-Lobsinger, took her own life when he was 11.
Since then, he has worked tirelessly with his grandmother Christine Vachon’s organization, Soul Sisters.
“It’s important for me to reach out to people who are having a rough time, or they’re feeling they’re all alone, or that depression is only happening to them,” he said.
Vachon said she and her sisters started the Soul Sisters Memorial Foundation after Jeanelle’s death to promote mental health awareness.
The group now runs monthly workshops, operates a crisis hotline, and raises money for mental health promotion groups.
Lobsinger said he started speaking about his experience for the Soul Sisters after seeing a show by Robb Nash — a Canadian rock star who speaks to students across the nation about suicide and mental health. Hearing how Nash overcame his struggle with suicidal thoughts and depression gave Lobsinger the courage to cope with his loss and he wanted to help Nash reach more students.
Lobsinger is now one of the keynote speakers at the Soul Sisters’ annual “Nelly’s Project” fundraiser held in Westlock, Vachon said. His words have helped the group raise some $360,000 for the Robb Nash Project, the Pilgrim’s Hospice, and Westlock Victim Services.
“Robb Nash keeps teasing that he would take (Lobsinger) on the road with him,” Vachon said, adding that Lobsinger already helps him set up for performances when he can.
Tragedy can tear people, families and communities apart, but Lobsinger not only survived it, but chose to use his experience to help others, said Nash in an e-mail — a decision very few would make, especially at such a young age.
“Blair is one of the most amazing people I have ever met,” he said.
Lobsinger said he plans to continue to speak out about suicide so that no one else has to go through what he did.
Suicide and mental illness aren’t something you can sweep under the rug, he continued.
If you see a friend who seems down or is having an off day, ask them about it and be there for them as a sounding board — showing them that they’re not alone could make all the difference.
Lobsinger said this award is bittersweet given the circumstances behind it. Still, he thinks his mom would be happy to see him up on stage getting it.
“I think she’d be really proud of what I’m doing and what I’ve accomplished so far and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.”
The award was a huge surprise for Lobsinger as long-time Soul Sister Angie Hampshire nominated him and his family only informed him he was nominated on his birthday.
“Just before he opened his gifts, I made him sit in the living room on a stool in front of everybody,” said Vachon “Angie read out the nomination letter and we read the other two letters of support.”
Keeping with the surprise, Blair was out of the loop that he won until he returned from travelling with his classmates.
“Blair was on a school trip to Greece when they tried calling him by phone, but he had his phone shut off so they called me and said that he won, so I waited until he came back and he was pretty excited,” she added.
“I told him it would look good on a resume someday.”
With files from Kevin Ma, St. Albert Gazette
