Five years after tragedy, mother speaks out on mental health

CEDAR RAPIDS - Five years ago, Joan Becker's son Mark shot and killed Aplington-Parkersburg head coach Ed Thomas.

It's a tragedy that might have been prevented, she says, if her son had been able to get the mental health treatment he needed.

She will share her family's story Monday at the Cedar Rapids Public Library in an event sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Linn County.

Speaking out has helped her heal in the years since the June 2009 homicide, she said.

'You have a choice to make when a tragedy like this happens,” she said. 'You can either choose to hide and wallow in self pity, or you can choose to stand up and make a difference for others.”

Mark Becker was sentenced to life in prison without a chance of parole. He has since been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, Joan said. From behind bars, he is finally getting the medicine and therapy needed to keep the condition under control.

It is a diagnosis they didn't get before Mark shot his former coach. He was scheduled to see a psychiatrist in July 2009, though his parents had been trying to get him into regular treatment for years.

'We need to try and cut down on the time it takes for individuals to get diagnosed and get a treatment plan set up,” she said. 'We really needed that for him.”

She started keeping a journal when Mark was in high school, documenting his psychotic episodes and the family's struggles to find help. She recently finished a book about their experiences. If it gets published, she plans to donate proceeds to a mental health organization.

Her advice for other families who suspect a loved one needs help is reach out and not try to shoulder the burden alone.

She recommends asking a medical doctor to make a referral to a psychiatrist. She also recommends getting in touch with a local National Alliance on Mental Illness chapter for support and resources.

'People need to understand they're not the only ones who go through something like this,” she said. 'Never quit trying to get treatment for yourselves or your loved ones.”

If you go

Where: Cedar Rapids Public Library, 450 Fifth Ave. SE

When: 6 p.m. Monday

Cost: Free