The Beginning

On 9th July 1969, my son John was born. I remember looking at him and thinking I had never seen anything so beautiful.

He grew into a strong, gentle, and kind young man—a loving soul. But trauma in his life led to serious mental illness.

“John was loving, creative, and kind. But trauma and mental illness changed everything—and the system wasn’t there when he needed it most.”

Watching Him Slip Away

Over eight years, I watched John become a stranger to himself. He was withdrawn, distressed, and paranoid. His pain became visible. His behaviour changed, but professionals focused on symptoms—not the person behind them.

John was around 22 when we first noticed he was unwell. He spent hours speaking to himself, staring out the window. At the same time, my husband was dying of cancer.

We were a family in crisis. I begged for help, but was told John had to seek it himself. He couldn’t. He didn’t know he was ill.

“How could he ask for help when he didn’t understand he was ill? I tried to be his voice—but no one listened.”

The System That Failed Us

I tried everything. I confided in doctors. But my trust was betrayed when they repeated my words to John. He denied them, and our bond broke.

He walked out of hospital the next day.

He was homeless. He was injured. He was frightened by voices in his head. He turned to drugs—not for escape, but to cope. Still, there was no consistent help.

When he was arrested, it wasn’t for a crime—it was a cry for help.

“We lived from one crisis to the next. And every time, the system told us: ‘It’s not our responsibility yet.’”

Losing John

On 1st May 2000, after months in hospital, John left the ward.

That day, he died by suicide. John was not a statistic. He was a gifted songwriter. A poet. A brother. A son. The system failed him. It failed us.

“John was kind, creative, gentle. He didn’t choose to die. The system gave him no other way out.”

The Start of Nemo Arts

From heartbreak, Nemo Arts was born.

We built a space where people felt safe—not clinical, not cold. A place for self-expression, connection, and dignity. Through art, music, and community, we help people recover in their own way.

Today, Nemo Arts works in hospitals, prisons, and communities. And we’ve seen lives rebuilt.

“Nemo Arts began with a simple belief: creativity heals. Expression connects. Recovery is possible.”

For the Ones Still Struggling

This story is about John. But it’s also about all the Johns still out there—waiting to be heard.

If you are supporting someone with mental illness: keep going. If you work in the system: please listen. And if you are struggling yourself: there is hope.

Recovery is not a straight line. But it is possible—with support, with compassion, and with spaces like Nemo Arts.

—

Isabel McCue

Founder of Nemo Arts
And John’s Mum, always.