This memorial website was created in the memory of our loved one, Sarah McNichol who passed away on November 06, 2006 at the age of 25.  Sarah's generosity will live on through Five organ recipients.  We will remember her forever.

"A Butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam and for a brief moment it's glory and beauty belongs to our world.  But then it flies off again and though we wish it could have stayed we feel so lucky to have seen it"

In the beginning...
Sarah Grace McNichol was born April 16, 1981 at Wingham & District Hospital, Wingham, Ontario – just in time for Easter that year. She had dark brown eyes, black hair, weighed 6 pounds and 10 ounces and was 20.5 inches long. Her parents, Raymond Charles and Kathryn Marie (Dunbar) McNichol were overjoyed to have another daughter to complete their family. Sarah was the youngest of four children: Michael Alan (born Sept.20/75), Brian Charles (born Jan.21/77) and Kandice Marie (born Dec. 27/79).
She was raised on a hog farm outside the small community of Blyth (a half hour east of Goderich).

As a young girl Sarah played baseball, ringette and hockey with the local teams, including broomball as she got older. During her teen years she outgrew her tomboy ways and set her goal towards her dream of becoming a model. Once she set her mind to something she pursued it diligently. She convinced her family to take her to the Model Search America try-outs in London, Ontario. She succeeded in moving to the final round in Rochester, New York where agents from around the world were present to scout out the talent from this conference. Sarah caught the attention of 2 agents – choosing the closest one, Sutherland Models to follow up with. At the age of 18, Sarah moved to Toronto to sign a contract with Sutherland Models and begin her modeling career.

Her dream…
Sarah’s first trip as a 'model’ was to China for 2 weeks - bringing home many souvenirs and priceless pictures.
Next Sarah was off to Paris, France to live for 3 months and build up her portfolio.
When Sarah returned home from Paris she continued doing modeling shoots, music videos, and movie ‘extra’ work along with waitressing to help make ends meet while living in Toronto.
Her next trip was to Japan to live for a couple of months, once again to build up her portfolio.
Her last trip in her modeling career was to London, England to do a music video with Bruce Guthro for his new single ‘Disappear’ which made it into the Chevy top 20 on CMT and was nominated for best video in 2001.
After just two short but extremely adventurous years, Sarah decided she needed a change in her life. So she moved home again and worked for a year to save up her money so she could continue with her passion of traveling.
In the fall of 2003 she was off once again to see more of the world. She enrolled in SWAP (Students Working Abroad Program) which would take her to Australia for a year. She met a lot of great friends while traveling throughout Australia and Thailand.
It was Sarah’s dream to visit Africa next – unfortunately Australia would be her last trip…
September 2004 – Sarah returned home as a changed person…

A whole new experience...
A new journey began at this time for Sarah and her family - one we were very unfamiliar with….Mental Illness.
Sarah’s original diagnosis in Australia was ’First Episode Psychosis’. It was hoped that once she was gradually removed from her medication after 3-4 months, her thought process would be normal again. Unfortunately, the psychosis returned stronger than ever.
It was time to re-evaluate her diagnosis….the new one ‘Schizophrenia’ set us back a few steps, and we realized that the road to recovery was going to be long and bumpy. After seven long months of hospitalization and the doctors experimenting with different medications, Sarah was finally stabilized and came home in time for Christmas 2005. Her diagnosis at this time was Schizoaffective.

The summer of 2006 will be one that we cherish forever in our hearts, as it is the last one that we spent with Sarah.

September 2006 saw a decline in Sarah’s mental health and once again she was hospitalized. The last 2 months of Sarah’s life was an unsuccessful journey through the Mental Health System. Many questions remain…

All we have left is HOPE!
Hope that what happened to Sarah won’t happen to another family’s loved one.
Hope that more awareness will be made to Mental Health through education and training.
Hope that people with mental illnesses will be treated with respect and compassion.