Stuart Ackerman

August 28, 1988 to April 8, 2022

Stu’s love of fishing and the outdoors was apparent from a young age. He enjoyed travelling all over Saskatchewan and northern Manitoba to fish. He was a man with an impressive collection of fishing hooks and was always happy to share his knowledge and gear. Stu could navigate the lakes he fished on with ease and always knew the best fishing spots. Stu looked most at home at his parents’ fly-in fish camp at Ubiquity Lake.  

The goal of Cast a Light on Mental Health is to help others struggling with mental health and addictions. The stigma of these diseases often prevents people from speaking up and seeking help. Casting a light and talking about depression, addiction, and mental health will help to change the narrative in our society.  

Stu struggled for many years with depression and addiction. He was a high functioning person that didn’t want to burden others with his internal struggles. The diseases he suffered from did not define him as a person. For those of us who knew and loved Stu, we saw how generous and caring he was. He was an old soul that always made time for others. He had a smile that lit up the room and a giggle that was contagious.  

Unfortunately, as the statistics show, suicide is the second leading cause of death in young adults (15-34 years), with men being 3 times more likely to complete suicide. Please know that help is available and everyone is worthy of that help. It is ok to seek professional help, to be on medication, or to check into a healthcare facility. This may need to occur multiple times over someone’s life. 

In honour of Stu, we hope you enjoy the day fishing and spending time with the people who loved him. We would like to thank everyone who is able to make it out to the event or support the cause. We will be making it an annual event to continue to raise awareness and funds for mental health, addiction, and suicide prevention.  

Help is available 

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 9-1-1. 

Help is available 24/7 for suicide prevention and mental health. Some resources can be found here.