The Erie County Medical Examiner's office says more than 70 people have died by suicide in each of the past two years.

A local man is using his passion and personal connection to help people struggling with mental health in Western New York and beyond.

Brendan Orr is a member of the band Canetis. They’ll be playing at Nietzsche’s on Friday, April 21. But it won’t be just any performance — it’s a fundraiser in honor of Brendan’s sister, Jennifer. She took her own life in November 2022.

"This was after a 20-year battle, nearly 20-year battle, with mental health and addiction issues," Orr said, "And so in response to that, myself and my sister's partner, Jake Fisker, decided that we wanted to do something about it. We wanted to do something to help people because my sister, ultimately, if there was one thing that she really loved, it was helping other people."

Orr was the first person to get the call after Jennifer died.

"It was jarring, to say the least, and, you know, my sister is just like she probably had more of an impact on my life and who I am as a person and like my core values than literally anybody else in my life," Orr said. "And so when you lose a presence like that, a force like that, that's it's not really something that you really know what to do after you just feel lost. And I mean, it's going on five months now since it happened and I still feel lost and I still don't know what to do.

The fundraiser consists of two things that were core parts of Jennifer: comedy and music. Orr says there will be artists from both areas in addition to the band he’s a part of. The proceeds will go to the Kirsten Vincent Respite & Recovery Center, part of the organization Recovery Options Made Easy.

He says more than anything, he wants other people who are struggling with their mental health to know that they’re not alone.

"I just want people to be able to feel some level of comfort and know that there's people out there who do care," said Orr. "And you know when you get into a mindset like that, where your mental health is just such a low point that people are forced to feel like this is the only way, the only place for them to turn to — like it's just not, and there's people out there who do care and who do want to make a difference and who do want to help because everybody deserves to feel happiness."

Orr says he thinks of his sister every time he’s on stage. He puts a jersey Jennifer gave him on the band’s drum set when they perform and says she’s always up there with him.

"It's hard because for so often, I mean so many times, you know, you're on stage and I just had grown so accustomed to at, some point in the performance, just seeing her smiling face walking in and I knew that I can always like look to her for reassurance or look to her to like sing along the words with me or anything like that," Orr said. "And those are memories that I will forever be grateful for. Then there are also memories that are with me every second of every minute that I'm on stage as well."

Orr says the fundraiser actually sold out about three weeks before the April 21 event. He says if you were not able to get a ticket in time and still want to support the cause, there is also an online auction that includes autographed items from the Sabres, the Bills, the Goo Goo Dolls and more. 

Orr says a GoFundMe account has also been set up.