Following yesterday's sad news that The Black Dahlia Murder frontman, Trevor Strnad, has passed away at 41 years of age, Benediction/ex-Bolt Thrower vocalist, Dave Ingram, took to social media to share some very personal information.
Says Ingram: "A somewhat lengthy and personal post here. Pull up a chair, as this is really important.
This has been a long time coming, and I’ve put off posting it many times in the past for personal reasons. After awakening this morning to the incredibly sad news regarding the passing of Trevor Strnad from The Black Dahlia Murder I can be silent no more. Trevor was a really cool guy, and even before I rejoined Benediction he had a lot of kind words for me. A true gentleman has left us. While at the present time of my writing this no cause of death was given, but in their announcement the other band members shared the information for the US National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. This compelled me to share this post to help spread awareness of mental health issues that many suffer in silence.
So here’s my story. In the year 2000 my sister Sarah took her own life. It was devastating. This, and the following aftershocks, affected me on so many levels. Some I saw, some I knew, many I did not. The mental breakdown and subsequent severe depression crippled me for years. My crisis point was reached in 2008, and I attempted suicide by taking an overdose.
I was lucky. On that day, in that moment, a piece of music and lines of lyrics made me regret what I had done, and I got myself to hospital. (I will forever be grateful to its composer. They know.) I went on to fight the black cloud of depression for many years, and I finally defeated it in 2021.
As I said, I was lucky. But there are so many that are not. That is why I am making this public. This isn’t the polishing and displaying of a Good Guy Badge, but the sharing of my story to hopefully help someone out there who is still silently tormented by mental health issues. To all of the people who are I say YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Please, talk to someone. Hell, even talk to me. I will always listen, and never turn my back on you. A link to a list of suicide crisis phone lines in various countries is in the comments. Remember, you are not alone.
If there are any organizations out there in the music scene that give help and support to people with mental health issues that are reading this, then please do contact me. Maybe we can work together in furthering awareness of these problems, and getting people the help they need. And please, feel free to share this. Thank you.
Trevor Strnad, R.I.P."
