About Glen
W Welcome to my journey. My name is Glen Canning, and this space started as a place for me to learn HTML and then to share my love of photography and technology.
Over time, it became something much deeper.
When my daughter Rehtaeh died by suicide in 2013, my world stopped. This space became my voice—first for her, then for justice, and finally, a place for healing. What began as a hobby grew into a reflection on grief, trauma, and what it means to live after losing a child in such a horrible way.
I was born in Baden, Germany, in 1963. My father was in the Air Force, so we moved often—base to base, country to country. My childhood wasn’t safe. My parents fought constantly, and I grew up feeling unwanted and afraid. My father hurt me in ways that shaped my early years and followed me into adulthood.
As a young man, I carried a lot of anger. I was sexually abused by a close relative. My first marriage was to a domestic abuser, and all I could do was take it. The man I was then has caused the man I am now a lot of pain but I understand why. At least now I do.
I tried to be a good father to my daughter—she was my world. Losing her forced me to face everything I had avoided about my own pain. That journey is the one I share now.
Today, I live in Ottawa with my wife Krista, and I write to make sense of the life I’ve lived. I don’t believe in gods or divine plans, but I do believe in our ability to think, to grow, and to find strength in truth.
I try to understand my triggers, to see my past not as a curse but as something I can reinterpret and reclaim. I’ve come to realize that peace isn’t a destination—it’s the small, clear moments when I understand myself and the world around me.
This blog is for anyone who has been broken and wants to find their way back—people who were told not to feel, survivors who carry shame, and people who are just trying to make peace with their own story.
If my words help you see your life a little differently or remind you that healing is possible, then that’s enough.
We can’t change where we’ve been, but we can change what it means to us and how much of irt we carry.
I wish you the courage you need to be authentic.
Glen
W Welcome to my journey. My name is Glen Canning, and this space started as a place for me to learn HTML and then to share my love of photography and technology.
Over time, it became something much deeper.
When my daughter Rehtaeh died by suicide in 2013, my world stopped. This space became my voice—first for her, then for justice, and finally, a place for healing. What began as a hobby grew into a reflection on grief, trauma, and what it means to live after losing a child in such a horrible way.
I was born in Baden, Germany, in 1963. My father was in the Air Force, so we moved often—base to base, country to country. My childhood wasn’t safe. My parents fought constantly, and I grew up feeling unwanted and afraid. My father hurt me in ways that shaped my early years and followed me into adulthood.
As a young man, I carried a lot of anger. I was sexually abused by a close relative. My first marriage was to a domestic abuser, and all I could do was take it. The man I was then has caused the man I am now a lot of pain but I understand why. At least now I do.
I tried to be a good father to my daughter—she was my world. Losing her forced me to face everything I had avoided about my own pain. That journey is the one I share now.
Today, I live in Ottawa with my wife Krista, and I write to make sense of the life I’ve lived. I don’t believe in gods or divine plans, but I do believe in our ability to think, to grow, and to find strength in truth.
I try to understand my triggers, to see my past not as a curse but as something I can reinterpret and reclaim. I’ve come to realize that peace isn’t a destination—it’s the small, clear moments when I understand myself and the world around me.
This blog is for anyone who has been broken and wants to find their way back—people who were told not to feel, survivors who carry shame, and people who are just trying to make peace with their own story.
If my words help you see your life a little differently or remind you that healing is possible, then that’s enough.
We can’t change where we’ve been, but we can change what it means to us and how much of irt we carry.
I wish you the courage you need to be authentic.
Glen
My Daughter, Rehtaeh Parsons
Purchase on Amazon
You can purchase the book I wrote about Rae here.
Nature Heals
Nature Heals
I’m a naturalist at heart and my observations cane be found here.
Surviving a Child's Death
Get up. Every day. Get up.
Some days that may be enough. I survived; you will too. I hope this helps.
