Lake Land student mourns husband shot by police

Staff Writer

MATTOON - Samantha Brandel is now a young widow and single mother of two after her husband, Mike, died in a shooting incident in Vermilion County on Thanksgiving weekend.

Though a sheriff's deputy fired the shots that killed Mike Brandel, Samantha said her husband's long battle with bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive disorder, a mental illness where victims face alternating manic and depressive periods, set the stage for the tragedy.

"Something positive has to come from my husband's death," the 36-year-old Lake Land College student said. "We can't take anything back. The only thing I can do is pick up the pieces. There has to be some sense that comes out of this senselessness. I really, really want to stress that not only do people with mental illness need professional help, but everyone who works with the public needs to know about the effects of mental illness."

On the night of Nov. 27, Mike J. Brandel, 40, was in a rage and breaking items in his apartment at Home Gardens, a small community near Westville, according to Illinois State Police, which is conducting an investigation in the incident. The landlord called law enforcement after Brandel seemed to not recognize him during a brief encounter to stop the damaging behavior.

Officers entered the apartment after Brandel threw a jar through a window and refused to calm down. This led to a violent confrontation where Brandel struggled with officers - one required medical treatment at a hospital -and thrust a sharp piece of wood at the officers. Three gunshots killed Brandel that night.

The details from the incident seem to indicate Mike Brandel was a violent monster; Samantha says he was a truly "loving person" and she never witnessed any violence from him during his manic episodes while they were together for 10 years.

The couple was living separately while Mike tried to find work in Vermilion County and Samantha attended Lake Land and cared for their two young children, living in Mattoon. Mike has two other sons from other relationships.

"Usually, crying or excessive drinking was the worst of his symptoms," Samantha said. "Before this happened he had been unemployed for six months and then he found out his paternal grandfather was ill. That was extremely upsetting to him. He had described his grandfather as an intelligent and compassionate man. He told me he wanted to be left alone. I really think this brought everything to the surface."

She believes if the officers had known her husband's history then circumstances might have turned out differently that night in Home Gardens.

"I feel terrible for the deputy who shot my husband. I'm sure he didn't go to work saying, ‘I can't wait to use my gun,'" she said.

Samantha said her husband tried to fight bipolar disorder as best he could. But he mistakenly thought he could do it by himself, she said.

"He was very private about his disease. He thought he could handle it on his own," Samantha said. "He was the most intelligent man I've ever met. He said the counselors didn't know anything he didn't already know. And he didn't like the side effects of the medications they prescribed.

"I encourage anyone with mental illness to seek professional help," she added. "And don't give up on the medications."

Debby Cook of LifeLinks, a not-for-profit mental health center in Mattoon, said families need to convince loved ones with mental illness that seeking help - or continuing treatment - is the only effective way to gain control.

"Help is just a phone call away in most communities. Families need to know there is a crisis line that can offer help. The number is 1-866-567-2400. The important thing is to pick up the phone and seek help," said Cook, who is director of communications and development for LifeLinks.

The shock resulting from the symptoms of mental illness can affect the entire family, Cook said. That is why counseling might be necessary for spouses and children. The worst scenario is ignoring what mental illness is doing to a family, she added.

"There can be repercussions to the family members. They are trying to understand why this happened. But they need to take care of themselves as well as a loved one with the disease," Cook said.

Samantha said she and her children are seeking counseling. She has also taken a leave for bereavement from Lake Land College, where she is studying to be an administrative assistant with specialties in legal and accounting work. Mike Brandel also graduated from Lake Land, in 2007 with honors to seek work in electronics.

"The reason I'm there is to better my life and the lives of my children," she said.

Cook said relatives or neighbors need to support each other when facing a mental health crisis. "Becoming isolated only makes things worse," she said.

Mutual support has already been demonstrated by Samantha's 8-year-old son, she said.

"He came up to me and said, ‘We have to carry on with our lives.' It's so profound coming from an 8-year-old boy. He's becoming the voice of reason throughout this tragedy," she said.

Contact Herb Meeker at hmeeker@jg-tc.com or 238-6869.