Souls on the line

>> Suicide prevention volunteer spreads love, love, love

by CHRIS BARRY

Name: Scilla Corneli

Age: 33

Title: Volunteer at Suicide Action Montreal

Duties: Answering phone calls from distressed individuals who are wrestling with suicide; training new volunteers.

Bio: Next time you plan on killing yourself and call the Suicide Action emergency line, this bubbly Laval resident may well be the voice that convinces you to do otherwise. An English literature major, Scilla was inspired to volunteer for the line after losing her very dearest friend to suicide back in '87. "I was in a lot of pain and needed to do some soul-searching." After committing three years of her life to guiding others through their darkest hours, she took a long and much-needed break from the line and only returned to her charitable duties last year. When not sharing her compassion with some of the 35,000 people who call the line each year, Scilla works in the R&D lab of a pharmaceutical company that "does not experiment on animals."

Most satisfying part of her work: When a caller thanks her for being there for them.

Most distressing part of her work: Not knowing what a caller is going to do once they hang up the phone. "I often leave work wondering if the people I've been talking to are going to be okay. What does it mean if you never hear from them again? Are they feeling better or have they gone through with their suicide? This may sound sappy but when I get home at night I say a little prayer and ask God to take care of them."

The primary credentials a suicide prevention volunteer should have: A love for fellow human beings and a good spirit.

Does she ever get really annoying people on the phone and want to tell them to just go ahead and kill themselves? Absolutely not.

The most common thing that inspires people to consider suicide: Pain. "Everybody has different reasons and circumstances for wanting to commit suicide but what they all share is overwhelming pain. Some people just get tired of fighting after a while."

Has anybody ever called her up in the process of killing themselves just so they could have somebody listen to them die? Yes, but Scilla managed to trace the number and get an ambulance over in the nick of time. She eventually convinced the woman to seek treatment.

Has she ever finished a shift and found herself so depressed that she felt like blowing her own head off? Never. "I have had some of the most incredible moments sharing with the souls who call the line. They have taught me so much about humility and made me a better person."

Is Suicide Action Montreal always looking for volunteers? Yes.

Something she likes to do for fun: Write music.

Musical tastes: Beethoven, Chemical Brothers, headbanging music, Armenian heavy metal band System of a Down.

Last book read: Archangel, by Robert Harris.

Favourite recent film: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Favourite TV show: Nothing. "Television sucks."

Hopes and dreams for a better tomorrow: That people will start talking to one another once again. "Most of us don't even know our neighbours."

Her advice to the world: "Love, love, love. Love who you are, love what you are, love the people around you."