Tyler struggled with depression for several years while growing up in an unstable household that broke his family apart. After finishing a competitive junior hockey career for the London Nationals in 2013 with a Sutherland Cup Championship, Tyler’s struggles escalated and his life quickly spiralled out of control with drugs and partying. Tyler’s hopelessness reached a peak later that year with a psychotic breakdown. During that period, Tyler tried to end his life several times.
Tyler’s involvement with mental health services did not begin voluntarily. But, it soon became obvious how important they were. After his final suicide attempt, Tyler spent almost two months as an inpatient in the hospital. There, he got to talk with therapists, connect with others struggling, and discover important coping methods on his journey to recovery. It was not easy, but slowly, the pain Tyler had covered up throughout his childhood started to subside and with the help of his family and counsellors, he was able to leave the hospital for good.
Rather than letting his experience with mental health control his life, Tyler took action. He re-enrolled in school and immediately took inspiration from his teachers. He started to design and build websites. The demand grew and Tyler started his own company called SixFive Interactive. Tyler continued to work on his own mental health and created a platform to become an advocate while building his own company. Now two years in, Tyler has a growing team of talented creators with a beautiful office and studio located in downtown London, Ontario at Innovation Works. His team is recognized for their dedication to community engagement and prove every day that people struggling with mental health can live a successful life while making an impact.