David Montes was described by loved ones as a deeply caring person, always smiling and always willing to help others in need. But the one person Montes couldn’t help during a time of need was himself.
On March 22, the beloved father and longtime San Pablo resident took his own life in his home following a lengthy battle with depression, his family said. While Montes had “the soul of an angel,” the voices in his head ultimately ended his life, his youngest daughter Maria Montes said.
Loved ones have launched a GoFundMe to help pay for his funeral services and are also raising awareness about mental illness in the community.
Montes was a handyman for Prime property management, and worked as a server/waiter on the weekends. Maria described him as a “loving father, son, brother and friend.”
“For some time now, my father suffered from depression,” Maria stated in the GoFundMe. “My family & I tried our very best to help him with his depression in every possible way but unfortunately his suffering was too much for him and on March 22, 2022 the voices in his head ended his life.”
Maria said the suicide left her family “with lots of unanswered questions and above all an immense amount of pain.”
Ricardo Guzman, Montes’ son-in-law, noted that his father-in-law was well known in the community, which is now “coming together to help his wife and four young adults” work through this difficult time.Â
Guzman notes that Latinos suffer from a high rate of depression in the U.S., and that mental illness is stigmatized, resulting in a lot of suffering.
If you, a friend or a family member suffer from depression, help is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255 or dial #988. For more information, visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org. To donate to the GoFundMe to support Montes’ family, click here.
