This past Friday, friends and family came together at the Ottawa Art Gallery to mark the one-year anniversary since Laperrière, 31, tragically took his own life in the sanctuary of his studio in Gatineau. He died April 21, 2023.
While listening to personal stories of loss, healing and recovery, the room full of 750 community leaders at The Royal’s Leaders for Mental Health Breakfast took a brief moment to collectively pause, get up on its feet and take a unifying deep breath together.
“Johannes Ziebarth s support for the mental health community appears to know no bounds," said Chris Ide, president of The Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health.