Joan Becker, the mother of a man serving a life sentence for killing the popular Parkersburg, IA high school football coach, will speak at Changing Minds, a FREE community mental health resource fair on Monday, May 23, 2016 at the Grand River Center.

Joan's son, Mark, shot and killed Coach Ed Thomas in the school weight room in 2009. Mark had been a linebacker on Thomas' football team in high school and greatly admired the coach, who was a family friend. Both families attended the same church, where Coach Thomas was an adult Sunday school teacher. On that fateful day, Mark, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, heard voices that told him to kill Coach Thomas. Mark is now serving a life sentence for first degree murder.

Joan Becker speaks about her family's experiences with Mark's mental illness. Attendees will hear how a young man struggled with unseen assailants, how a family tried to understand and seek help, and about the roadblocks and challenges they faced in the system.

Joan also will sign copies of her recently published book, "Sentenced to Life: Mental Illness, Tragedy and Transformation." Joan's book can be purchased at the event for $15 cash or credit.

The Changing Minds event schedule is as follows:

2:30 pm - 7:00 pm, Community Mental Health Provider Exhibits

3:00 pm, Expert Speaker Bryan Dempsey, Iowa Medicaid Enterprise

4:15 pm, Expert Speaker Colleen Mahoney Ph.D., MSW

5:45 pm, Keynote Speaker Joan Becker

Complete event details are available at www.project-concern.org/changingminds.