Archives

Darkness Into Light – Johnny & Gertie

In its 10 years, Darkness into Light has experienced incredible success but recently this growth has slowed. In 2019, Electric Ireland tasked us with finding a way to communicate the importance of this event to a wider audience. To tell this story, we found two of the people Darkness into Light has meant the most to, Johnny and Gertie Fox.

Devastated by the loss of their son to suicide, Johnny and Gertie Fox turned to Pieta House. There they found not only comfort but a new purpose. In 2009 they were part of the committee that founded Darkness into Light. Since it began, they have helped it grow from a few hundred people walking in Phoenix Park to more than 200,000 participants across the world.

This documentary-style film follows the growth of the Darkness into Light movement through the lives of two people who have been instrumental in its success. Johnny and Gertie’s story is one of the power of the human spirit; faced with the most harrowing experience a parent can encounter they have not only overcome adversity, but helped to create a global movement.

Over the last ten years, Darkness into Light has become part of the tapestry of Irish culture. While this has its benefits, familiarity can also come with complacency. This video acted as a reminder of the importance of this issue, this movement and the work carried out by Pieta House and supported by Electric Ireland.