Case David Densmore was born on June 5, 1970. He was my first-born son and big brother to Mark and Dean. One of his wishes was to be “as tall as grandpa” who stood at 6’2”. Case would later tower over his grandpa at 6’5”. He looked so much like his grandfather and shared his interests as well as developing his own talents. Flying and fast cars were fascinating to him as they were to his mother as well. We’ve often said that our family has “wings” on their chromosomes! Case added his musical talent to the mix. He played tenor sax and competed in many state wide solo competitions. His private teacher, Mr. Russ Wolz, told him he had to learn the classics before he could play the jazz that he gravitated to. Mr. Wolz was right. Case won many competitions with his renditions of the classics and later would play in his high schools Jazz I, a group in which a position was auditioned for and coveted. He made me proud.

He and his brothers shared many typical boy adventures. The opportunities were many as we live in the “country” on 3 acres surrounded by fields. The irrigation ditch seemed to become the focus of all of the young boys in our neighborhood. Where else could you catch crawdads with a little string with some bologna tied on the end? The 3 brothers often brought me treasures from the ditch. Everything from bones to bugs and occasionally a small snake which made mom scream and they would laugh with delight! Little did I know of the adventures that they kept from me for years. Adventures that would have turned my hair white, like floating down the ditch holding on to basketballs in the swift current!

As they grew older, their attention turned to airplanes and cars. They loved to build and fly radio controlled airplanes. Soon they were in the workshop designing their own. Case particularly loved cars. I think he got that from me. I once owned a Lotus Europa Special which was my dream car. When I realized how impractical it had become I sadly decided to sell it at which time Case informed me that he wanted to buy it. He went through Danny Collins Racing School just as I had when I was younger. He drove the Lotus even though it was difficult to maneuver his tall and slender frame into the car. Later he bought his final car. It was HIS dream car. It was a black and silver SS Camaro. One afternoon he tossed me the keys and said, “Mom, let’s take it out!” I jumped into the driver’s seat and we pushed it through its paces. What a dream to drive and fast too. After that he always told people how his mom had red lined it in every gear! It was our joke as I told him it was the only way to know what it would really do!

But underneath the wonderful young man that was my son, lurked a silent demon born of his genetics. Sadly we did not understand depression in those days. My mother had ended her life in 1971 by suicide but at that time even the Drs didn’t really understand this thing called depression. I’m not sure they do today. Case was an asthmatic and as a result was on all sorts of medication. I look back and realize that we thought some of the symptoms of depression were the side effects of his medications. Today I would know differently but then I did not. In his 20’s we began to see the demon taking its toll on his spirit. Slowly we learned a little about depression but thought it would pass. We had no idea what to do about it other than to love him. Once we began to learn more, I began to search for resources to help him. It took his first suicide attempt on December 22, 1998 to shock us into the realization that the disease of depression had such fatal consequences. Case came out of that attempt determined to get his life under control. We went to his Dr. who prescribed an antidepressant and found a counselor whom he liked. We thought we would beat this thing that had such a strong hold on him. After all, I loved him so much that I just knew we would make it. But life piled on the sometimes painful experiences that we all have throughout our lives. For one who already is crippled with a deep ongoing depression, life’s cruel experiences can be too much. It was a broken relationship that brought the end to my son’s life.

We lost our battle and I lost my son on January 4, 2000. It broke my heart and there is still a hole in my life that will never be filled. It was through this loss that I became determined to “make a difference” in Case’s name and so Project CASE was gradually born, becoming an official nonprofit in March of 2004. We take every opportunity to educate all who will listen about the devastating and life destroying effects of depression. I became an ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills) trainer and endeavor to give others the life saving tools that I did not possess to save my son. We supply grief support to those like me who have lost a loved one to suicide. I’ve learned that the only way to travel this most difficult road is to walk with those who are already walking it for they understand the pain only too well.

And so Project CASE is here for you. We offer you what we have learned, the tools of suicide intervention and the support you need if the worst has happened. There is a 6’5” angel standing beside me in these efforts and he and I offer you our hand of friendship and understanding. It is in his loving memory that I have dedicated this organization. It is our hope that what we have learned will help others.

Blessings,
Nancy Miller Page, Director
Case’s Mom