Taking the Cape Off

How to Lead Through Mental Illness, Unimaginable Grief, and Loss

By: Patrick Kenny

Narrated by: Patrick J. Kenny

A personal guide on how to lead through mental illness, unimaginable grief, and loss

Taking the Cape Off shares Fire Chief Pat Kenny's journey to overcome his perceived failure as a leader in his most cherished duty, that of being a protector. His "Cape" failed to protect his 20-year-old son Sean from dying by suicide after a lifelong battle with mental illness. His anguish was complicated by his role as the leader of a fire department.

This is not a story of darkness but rather one of hope as he reveals the path he took to move forward with his life and return to a leadership role. In this book, he will share:

• How you as a leader can address the stigma attached to mental illness in the workplace, at home, or with friends, utilizing professional resources and relying on your faith.
• How you can develop the leadership communication skills necessary to help you both personally and professionally when faced with any health crisis.
• How to foster a continuing, loving relationship with your deceased loved one's memory by acknowledging the signs you receive from the hereafter.

This comprehensive handbook is for leaders in any profession, for grief-stricken parents, and for anyone who struggles with the stigma of mental health. You will receive insight and guidance from the author’s personal experiences to help you understand and embrace the limitations of your leadership - your Cape - so that you can serve those suffering from mental illness, enhance your leadership, and enrich your life.

©2020 Patrick J. Kenny (P)2021 Patrick J. Kenny

Resilient Kids

This is a great book for anyone that is looking for advice to lead an organization, a club, or most importantly a family unit. It takes incredible courage to intimately share the details of life but this is the mark of a true leader. Because of this book, I have reflected on and adjusted a number of areas in my life as a leader. Below is a specific example of this change.

In the book, there is a section that talks about kids and how resilient they are. This section has encouraged me to modify my parenting style to ensure that when there are tragic events that take occur in our country and around the world that our kids are hearing about it from us. This has helped them prepare for what they will hear from their friends. We then encourage them to talk about what they have heard from their peers and ask us any questions they have based on what they have heard. This approach helps kids be more prepared to handle this information and not be stuck thinking "why didn't mom and dad tell me about this". It creates an environment where they are comfortable asking questions and talking about what they may have heard.

Speechless

Words escape my mind, I cannot do the headline justice with any words. Each chapter inspired me to be better for my family, my peers, and myself. No one but the author can narrate this book; the passion and commitment in his voice is booming. His voice, also reminding us of our humanity. This story and book tugs at me personally and professionally. As a law enforcement supervisor, I will make this book required reading for my CIT and Victim Services teams.

Outstanding Book!

Author did incredible job delivering this story. Wears his Heart on his sleeve. It’s a must read for any adult today.

Difficult read, but a must read.

More importantly, a must share. We all have been or will be effected by mental illness. Education and action, on any skill is key. Thank you for sharing Shawn’s story and your family’s journey.

The entire journey

What an amazing journey. I had the pleasure of meeting Patrick at a first responder mental health retreat.