You are not alone.

You don't want to die. You just want the pain to go away.

One day at a time.

I'm happy you exist.

This isn't the end of your story.

In all, more than 50 notes of hope, of encouragement taped to the guard rails of the Burgoyne Bridge, overtop Highway 406.

And in the centre of it all, a bouquet of orange, red and white flowers overtop a framed photograph of 19-year-old Tanner Unger.

On Thursday night, Niagara Regional Police were called to the bridge following a 911 call about a man in distress. According to a press release issued by the Special Investigations Unit, an officer located the man on the bridge and after a brief interaction, "the man went over the bridge and landed on Highway 406 below."

The man, Tanner Unger, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Since then, the community who knew Tanner, his mother Terra, father Matt and older brother, Austin, have come together to mourn his death and offer hope to others.

Tanner died by suicide, writes his mother.

He died the morning after a fire at the Lake Street house he shared with his brother and mother destroyed all their belongings. According to the St. Catharines fire department, the fire was called in at 10:18 a.m. and was attended by three pumper trucks, a ladder truck and one rescue truck.

"Everything is gone," said family friend, Alex Botsford. She works with Terra at Positive Living Niagara. They are both outreach workers in StreetWorks, a needle exchange program.

The only item of Tanner's they salvaged from what remains of their home is a gold chain. It's damaged and the family is hoping to have it restored, said Botsford.

Otherwise, they have nothing left.

"She has nothing," said Botsford. "Nothing. Nothing to hold on to."

Botsford is asking Tanner's friends and anyone who knew him, that if they have something that belonged to him – t-shirts, sweaters, anything at all – to give it to his mother.

"Anything she can hold on to," said Botsford. "She told me, 'I lost everything and I don't even have a sweater to wear of his'."

Botsford has also created a Gofundme page to raise money for the family. She writes in her post: "Terra has nothing of Tanner's to cherish.

"The family lost everything that day. No amount of money will ever bring Tanner back, but it will be one less thing they have to worry about.

"Anything and everything helps."

In less than a day, some $4,745 of a $7,000 goal has been raised. The response has been so overwhelming and the family is in such need, that she is considering increasing the amount needed.

"I'm overwhelmed. It almost brought me to tears," said Botsford.

"Just like I wrote, it won't bring Tanner back but it will be one less thing they have to worry about."

The day of the fire, Terra had to visit a local department store to buy herself a pair of pants and toothbrushes, said Botsford.

"She looks out for everyone else." Clients have been offering her hugs as news of Tanner's death spread, she said.

A memorial to Tanner has been created on the bridge along with a series of hand-written notes offering words of hope.

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One of the people who left notes is Wendi Duggan, a mother of four who lives with mental illness in her family. On Friday night, she brought her two younger children, a nine-year-old boy and 12-year-old girl, to the bridge to tie on notes with green pipe cleaners.

"I want people to know they're not alone. If I could talk to every Tanner, I would do that."

She does not shy away from offering her children "real life, hard talks" about life, she said.

She wanted to show them – and her community – that there is always hope.

"I wanted them to know that people get to that point where they've had enough with life," she said.

"But that things get better.

"And I wanted them (her children) to understand that two little kids could make a difference."

She has started two Facebook pages, Bridges of Hope and Niagara United, to offer support and unite people to make changes.

In her words: "How many people have the same story."

Visitation for Tanner will be held at Patrick J. Darte Funeral Chapel, 39 Court Street, St. Catharines on Wednesday, Oct. 10, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

A funeral service will be held in the funeral home on Thursday, Oct. 11 at 11 a.m.

The family asks that memorial donations be made to either CASON, Community Addiction Services of Niagara, or StreetWorks.

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To donate to Tanner's family: https://www.gofundme.com/help-tanners-family-after-fire

If you have any items that belong to Tanner, message Alex Botsford through her Facebook page.

Visit Wendi Duggan's Facebook pages, Bridges of Hope and Niagara United.

Cheryl.Clock@niagaradailies.com

905-225-1626 | @Standard_Cheryl