Blake Johnstons father was gentle and loving. He never complained about anything. But he wasnt the first person Johnston knew who died by suicide. And he wouldnt be the lastWarning: This article contains passages some readers might find distressingEvery day, around nine Australians end their lives; three-quarters of them are men. That is a shocking statistic. But nothing can prepare you for the shock when that statistic includes someone you love. One day in mid-2013, my dad became one of the nine. After doing a heroic job bringing up five kids and helping raise a growing collection of grandkids, he killed himself in the garage of his rented Kirrawee home. It broke me in ways I am still dealing with.