Listen and treat mentally ill before prison, a mother asks

No one is not affected by mental illness in some way, Joan Becker told a room of about 40 attendees at Clarksville Public Library on Thursday, July 14. Everyone either knows a family member or community members with it.
Each of us has storms in life to deal with, literally and figuratively.
“On June 24, 2009, our family experienced a storm we did not see coming,” she said. “Many of you may remember headlines similar to ESPN, ‘Ed Thomas shot, killed inside school (weight room).’ “
“This was what the world knew… our communities knew.”
“What they didn’t know is what led up to this fateful day… what families go through for an illness they are trying to get help with,” said Becker, the mother of Mark Becker and author of the book, “Sentenced to Life: The Mark Becker Story — Mental Illness, Tragedy and Transformation.” Her stated purpose was to tell the story behind the story.
Read the full article in the July 21 edition of the papers.