#BuckUp for Mental Health: 'You can’t imagine what these kids go through'

teibert - buck up
whitecapsfc.com

VANCOUVER, BC – If Russell Teibert can make a difference in someone’s life – as small as it may be – then you don’t have to ask him twice.


That’s why the Canadian midfielder, who has made this city home after moving from his hometown of Niagara Falls, Ontario at the age of 15, said he’s “honoured to be a part of” Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s BuckUp For Mental Health campaign in support of Covenant House Vancouver.


As Teibert said: "Everyone has mental health. Some just struggle with it more than others. And it’s our duty as human beings to help them." Read on to learn more about what this cause means to Teibert and his message to the people of Vancouver.

Why is this cause important to you?

I think for the reason that you can’t imagine what these kids go through, what the youth go through. It’s hard to say you can picture it or understand what they’re going through, because we can’t. But we as human beings experience loneliness, we experience what it means to feel upset, or angry, or sad, or depressed. And we can all relate to those emotions. We can’t necessarily relate to what the youth have gone through but we can relate to those emotions. So when we’re having a bad day, when we’re having a tough time, we need some help. We need somebody to be there for us. If there’s anything I can do to help that cause and just be there and support a great cause like Covenant House and actually make a change and make a difference, I’m more than happy and actually honoured to be a part of it.


What involvement have you had with Covenant House in the past?

I participated in the Sleep Out earlier this year. Listening to some of the youth speak there, hearing the stories, the challenges, the obstacles, and hardships they’ve gone through was really eye-opening. It makes you feel very fortunate for the life you have, the things you sometimes take for granted like a roof over your head, food on your table, or honestly clean clothes to wear. It just put life into perspective.


Your former Whitecaps FC teammate Andy O’Brien was very open about his battle with depression. How was that viewed in the locker room?

Andy was a leader in our locker room. To be open with the things he went through, and to overcome it, and to be a leader at our club, he’s someone that we all look up to.


What’s your message to people reading this? Why should they support this cause?

Mental health should not be something people talk about with shame or guilt. Mental health comes in many different forms. Everyone has mental health. Some just struggle with it more than others. And it’s our duty as human beings to help them.


Fans can support the ‘Caps #BuckUp for Mental Health campaign and Covenant House Vancouver in a variety of ways: