Journalist Gaétan Girouard was a giant with feet of clay, those close to him believe. The documentary The shock wave tells the story of this star reporter on Quebec television in the 1990s and the deep inner fissures that led to his death, at just 33 years old.
Appearances were deceiving. Gaétan Girouard, star journalist at TVA, where he notably hosted I live, was always impeccably dressed, affable when necessary and insistent in front of a recalcitrant interviewee. He never stammered on the air, was a clear and precise communicator, recalls his ex-colleague Pierre Bruneau.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Pierre Bruneau
However, beneath his rebellious exterior, he had “little self-esteem,” said the former news anchor, shortly after the screening of The shock wave. Led by Jean-Philippe Dion, the documentary was presented a few days before Christmas in front of members of the family of the journalist who died 25 years ago and former journalist colleagues.
Pierre Bruneau is the man who had the difficult task, in January 1999, of opening his news bulletin by announcing the death of his colleague. Gaétan Girouard, 33, killed himself the same morning.
Even if he had to wipe away tears during the credits, the former anchor also said he was “happy” with the documentary. “We remember his extraordinary career, but it is above all his vulnerability that we are talking about,” he rightly emphasizes.
A false assurance
Jean-Philippe Dion had the idea for this documentary with three objectives in mind: to recall the meteoric journey of Gaétan Girouard, to reveal his fragilities and thus to prevent suicide. What he does by going to meet the family of the deceased, but also with the collaboration of several of his relatives, including his friend Gilles Dion and his former colleagues Pierre Bruneau, Alain Gravel, and of course Jocelyne Cazin.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Alain Gravel, Pierre Bruneau and Félix Séguin, journalists
It is amazing to see again on screen this elegant young man, apparently confident, capable of confronting a criminal biker, of interviewing a Warrior on the barricades during the Oka crisis and of bearing witness to the riot which followed the Stanley Cup victory in 1993 while being tossed around by an excited crowd.
His role which left the most lasting impression was undoubtedly that of co-host of the investigative show I, with Jocelyne Cazin, where he had neither more nor less the role of vigilante journalist. A role that came with enormous pressure, which he always masked behind a smile.
Gaétan Girouard’s two daughters, Justine and Marie-Claude, are delighted with this film which recalls what their father was in the public eye, but also does “useful work” by telling what he hid behind his mask .
“He’s someone who spent his life helping others solve problems,” emphasizes Marie-Claude, “and with this documentary, it’s a bit as if he continued his mission to change things. »
The shock of suicide
The shock wave does not approach the issue of suicide in a sensationalist manner. His objective is quite the opposite: to talk about it responsibly, to dissect what can fuel an invisible malaise and to talk about the impact it has on those around him, including his partner Nathalie and their two daughters.
PHOTO ALAIN ROBERGE, THE PRESS
Justine, Nathalie and Marie-Claude Girouard
Marie-Claude Girouard addresses the issue head-on in the film by affirming that suicide is, in her eyes, a selfish gesture. “I don’t know if that’s the right word,” she said, a few minutes after the screening. I’ve never been in that situation and I think that when you do something like that, you don’t think about the consequences.
“You think it’s going to make the people around you feel better, but that’s really not the case,” she continues. If someone had the choice between whether or not someone close to them commits suicide, the answer would be no. Maybe selfish wasn’t the right word, but I mainly wanted to illustrate that there are consequences for the people who stay. »
Before it is too late
Jocelyne Cazin admits to feeling a lot of guilt after the death of this colleague to whom she was very close. She said to herself that if the people around Gaétan Girouard had shared their concerns, perhaps they could have helped him. She also deplores the fact that the doctor who diagnosed her friend with major depression did not alert anyone.
“Information needs to circulate more,” agrees Marc-André Dufour, psychologist specializing in suicide prevention. However, he recalls the importance of professional secrecy for doctors and therapists. Cases of acute suicidal crisis leave no room for interpretation, according to him. The problem lies when the professional does not judge the imminent risk of death.
With the collaboration of the person, there is a way [d’alerter un proche] in many situations.
Marc-André Dufour, psychologist specializing in suicide prevention
It is still necessary that health professionals have the reflex to try to spread a safety net around the person in distress before they make an action rather than after, adds the specialist.
Marc-André Dufour emphasizes that men are consulting more and more and that seeking help is no longer as taboo as before. “There is not less distress, but more people are talking about it,” he says. However, we must still insist that courage is not about facing our problems alone, but about being able to show ourselves vulnerable and ask someone to take our hand.
On TVA January 11, 9 p.m.; at LCN on January 19, 8 p.m.
Need help ?
If you need support, if you have suicidal thoughts or if you are worried about a loved one, contact 1 866 APPELLE (1 866 277-3553). A suicide prevention worker is available to you 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
You can also visit the website commentparlerdusuicide.com