SEAN ANTHONY O’CONNOR
1963-2016
Words from Helen O’Connor, Mother of Sean
Early Life
Sean, the second of my five children, was born in Pembury, Kent, on May 23rd, 1963. He was a healthy and happy child, with a great sense of fun that was so throughout his life, until his turbulent last three years.
He seemed to enjoy his school years and was popular, sporty and applauded as a very skilled fast bowler. He developed an early love of art and literature, which was to be his passion always.
On leaving school Sean studied geography at Sussex University graduating in 1985. Following time as a crew-hand on a yacht in the West Indies Sean returned home and secured a job as an assistant town planner in Windsor, sadly it was not to last long. We began to notice that Sean was over-enthusiastic and suddenly keen to write a book which he felt the world needed to read, staying up all night writing.
After a visit to a private Psychiatrist to our distress and Sean's disbelief, they diagnosed that Sean was suffering from schizophrenia.
Sean was admitted to hospital perhaps a couple of times over the next few years but during this time he largely enjoyed life. Sean continued with his art and also began to make some stained glass objects. In 1994, Sean decided to pursue his love of art further and enrolled on a BTEC Diploma at the Berkshire College of Art and Design. His work here was highly thought of. Subsequently, Sean accepted a place at Brighton University to study for a degree in Fine Art Printmaking graduating in 1999. Sean had a number of art exhibitions following this time.
I have several little books of Sean’s poetry and sketches, and only now realise just how much output there was. This was not because of any sort of mania, rather it was because he was genuinely interested and had a real talent, though he might not have said that himself.
Later life
Late in 2013, everything changed catastrophically for the worse, following a sudden change in Sean’s prescribed medication. Very soon he didn’t feel well and it was clear to us that this was a mistake, at best, or some unexplained policy at worst.
On 22 October 2013, Sean ended up being sectioned and carted off to London in a caged police van. This experience haunted him until his death. Sean’s next few months saw several changes in medication and left him a physical and mental wreck.
Sean dabbled in herbal remedies – reaching out for some magic fix. We believe he had been taking St John’s wart and had contacted a herbalist the week before his death in a desperate state asking her for help.
The last time I saw Sean my husband and I were getting ready to go to Ireland, and he turned up. He had rushed to our flat on the bus to give me a present of a brooch which he had bought for me. He was calm and in good form, and said during the course of conversation that he didn't believe he would live a lot longer as he felt he had serious physical problems. He asked that, if this was the case, I might wear the brooch often and think of him.
Sean spoke to two school friends on Sunday 30th October and they persuaded him to meet them at his favourite Brighton restaurant on the evening of Monday 31st October, a treat on them. Sean never turned up and they couldn’t get hold of him. He had been spotted by his parish priest that Monday morning having a coffee, the priest commenting that Sean did not look at all well. Sunday 30th October was the last communication the family had with Sean. He would normally text several times a day and, because of all this, we feel he must have passed away some time on Monday 31st October 2016.
Helen O’Connor
02.04.2017