‘I want my kids to know I took a stand and tried to do the right thing’ – Michael Conlan discusses suicide crisis

Michael Conlan has opened up on the steps he is taking to try and fight the suicide crisis happening in Northern Ireland.
Conlan has been shocked by the recent sad news regarding the suicides of several young boxers, resulting in him coming up with the idea to send an open letter to health minister Robin Swann appealing for āurgent actionā on suicide prevention.
The likes of Carl Frampton, Snow Patrolās Gary Lightbody, ex-Ireland rugby international Tommy Bowe, footballer James McClean and Hillsborough campaigner Professor Phil Scraton are among those to co-sign the letter, and Conlan is hoping something can be done.
Conlan toldĀ Yahoo Sports:Ā āI have two young kids, and I donāt want them to grow up where suicide is accepted and where they believe itās a normal way to die.
āWhen my children are old enough to understand the world they live in, if they say to me, āDad, what did you do?ā I donāt think itās good enough to say, āYeah, I was a champion.ā Great. I want to be able to tell them that I tried my best to break this terrible cycle and to make this a better place for young people to live.
āI want to show them what is really important and what really matters and that when their dad saw this, he didnāt stand by and say, āOh, thatās too bad,ā and go back to train for his fight.
āI want my kids to know that I took a stand and I tried to do the right thing and I did whatever I am capable of doing to fix this terrible situation.ā
Conlan is back in action next month, as he returns to Madison Square Garden in New York City to take on Belmar Preciado (20-2-1, 13 KOs) on St Patrickās Day.
