By Samantha Wantling
Today is R U OK day and yet here I am writing a column with great sadness, never having been given the opportunity to ask that exact question.
The passing of our former editor Jeremy Sollars has left a massive hole in this paper, indeed across the news landscape of the Southern Downs.
I have known Jeremy for many years working under him at the Stanthorpe Border Post and more recently here at the Southern Free Times and Warwick Stanthorpe Today.
It is no secret Jeremy and I clashed on more than one occasion, usually down the typical editorial versus advertising line. However, there was also no doubting the respect we each had for the other‘s passion for news and newspapers.
Jeremy was the King of ‘keeping the bastards honest’. It was a term used by many in our industry particularly when analysing his work for the Queensland Country Press Awards. It was never a surprise when Jeremy was named Journalist of the Year.
When he sank his teeth into a story you knew you were going to read something special. His perseverance, his ability to get beyond the surface, was second to none. I was in awe of so much of his body of work. Jeremy had a knack of making people feel comfortable to tell their truth – a gift not always bestowed on today’s journalists.
To his children and grandson, there are not enough words to convey how we feel. Please know that there is an army of support around you and that your father, above all else, loved you dearly.
At the end of the day there is still a stigma around mental health. But it’s something that we should talk more often and openly about. Jeremy’s life should serve as a reminder of that.
“The worst battle you have to fight is between what you know and what you feel.“
Rest in peace Jeremy.
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A full tribute will be featured in next week’s papers and online.
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If you or anyone you know needs help:
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800
MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78
