Jean Boyle was born on Christmas Day in 1962 in Neptune, NJ. The second of four children, Jean struggled with undiagnosed mental health problems from childhood. Due to her parents’ divorce and a poor relationship with her older brother, Jean felt responsible for her younger brother and sister. She loved them, but this stress added to her mental health burdens in ways she wouldn’t fully realize for years to come.

Jean’s mental health struggles continued into adulthood. She was married, had two sons,  and divorced in her 20s; she had another son after that marriage ended. She married again and had two more sons, and though she loved her children more than anything, her mental health continued to decline. In 2006, while living with her husband and sons, Jean had a severe mental breakdown and left her family.

By this point, Jean was aware that her mental health struggles were more than she could handle on her own. She spent time getting help, but it was too late for her marriage. Losing the family she loved so dearly sent Jean over the edge, and she tried to take her own life. At that point, she was placed into a mental health facility.

After she was released, Jean’s psychiatrist told her that she would never be able to work again. The psychiatrist said that she would never be able to hold a job without compromising her own health and safety. She relied on state disability for her essential living expenses, sharing living space with different people just to keep a roof over her head. 

In 2016, Jean’s physical health took a sharp decline. She nearly lost her life due to sepsis and liver failure, but she battled back and slowly regained her footing. After leaving the hospital, she moved in with her younger sister to recover. With a more stable foundation, Jean found a new mental health provider through the local chapter of Catholic Charities.

The help and support Jean got through Catholic Charities was life-changing. Her new psychiatrist helped her find the motivation to work on improving her mental health. She later said that it helped her feel like a person for the first time in over a decade. Jean improved more and more as she worked with Catholic Charities. Eventually, they offered her the opportunity to become a certified recovery support practitioner. She loved her work because it gave her the chance to help people in situations like her own.

Thanks to her improved mental health and her work doing a job she loved, 2021 meant that Jean was able to start living like she had always dreamed about. She bought a car, and then her own home. She learned how to live happily and fully, spreading her boundless love to her friends and family. Jean finally knew how to live with her mental illness instead of letting it drive her life.

In February of 2024, Jean was diagnosed with cancer. Just as she had with her previous struggles, Jean dug in to fight for her health. She balanced her work with her cancer treatment, even winning awards for her work while she was in chemotherapy. Then she signed up to start a college course in October so she could further her career. She loved living, and her hope was to keep doing so.

Despite Jean’s best efforts and the treatments she underwent, the cancer continued to spread. She passed away on October 15, 2024, at the age of 61.

Jean’s legacy is a shining example of what people can do if they’re given the right support and tools. She shows us that there is life after pain, and that it’s worth finding a way to live. Jean found a way to thrive after more than 50 years of severe mental health struggles, and she turned right back around to help others find their own ways out.

Here at Jean’s Place, our goal is to shine Jean’s light out of the darkness as far and as wide as we can, helping people learn how to live their best lives with their mental health struggles. Jean’s love for her family, especially her sons, has given us our North Star: to help children and teenagers struggling with their mental health by providing hope, compassion, and connection, just like Jean would have done.