MCMANUS, Caitlin Jade McManus

It is with the deepest sadness, that we share that Caitlin McManus passed away on Tuesday, October 7th, 2025, in her 27th year.

Family and friends of the beautiful, kind and creative Caitlin Mcmanus witnessed the hope, the effort and determination that Caitlin lived as she valiantly tried to make sense of and live with the pain and stigma of depression and anxiety for many years. A pain so relentless and exhausting. Though not formally diagnosed, Caitlin was ok with the possibility that she was also on the autism spectrum. In her never-ending search for answers, researching and talking to her doctors about being on the spectrum offered her some comfort as insight into some of her thinking.

Caitlin’s light shone despite her illness. In those moments, she was able to see how many people loved her. In this time, Caitlin laughed with the people she was with. Any room entered by Caitlin would immediately light up. She didn’t always see the light within herself but everyone around her did. Cait was constantly hyping up her friends, lending a helping hand or a listening ear, and always making everyone around her laugh and feel heard. She was always down for an adventure or debate, depending on the day.

Among the zillion things we will miss about Caitlin, we highlight her artistic and writing talent. Her poetry is literary genius. Her art: a picture that says more than a thousand words.

Caitlin is the much-loved daughter of Becky and Sean McManus and the much-loved sister of Dylan and his girlfriend, Kylie. Caitlin had their love and help with her mental health disease. Becky, Sean and Dylan journeyed with Caitlin as she felt hope and hopelessness, sadness and calm, the “I can live this” and exasperations/exhaustions, rage and defeat, moments of clarity overshadowed by confusion that depression and anxiety inflicted on her. A disease with hints of answers and medications only for sustained calm to be cruelly out of reach by the depression and anxiety. The family and Caitlin spent years trying to find help and answers.

Caitlin is loved by family. Granddaughter of Cassandra Prescott-Flynn and the late Ed Flynn, Robert and Kim Prescott, Joyce and the late Sean McManus. Niece of Tim (Tanya), Lisa, Amanda, Darlene (Dave), Patricia (Wayne), and Ben (Andrea). Cousin of Brittany (Steve), Holly, Derek, Hanna, Mary, Mikayla, Chloe and her baby, Lyla, the late Gage, Dalton, Levi, Hailey, Nolan, Cole, Samantha, and Damian. Caitlin also shared a special bond with her Aunt Linda and Aunt Sharon.

A very special thank you to her constant friend, Hayley McCabe, who Caitlin depended on and loved with all her heart. Sometimes in life we are gifted a chosen sister. Thank you so much Hayley for sharing a chosen sisterhood with Caitlin.

A note of gratitude to Caitlin’s friend, Robert, for the past few years of friendship and support.

In Caitlin’s darkest moments through to her fleeting moments of being ok, her steady companion was her dog, Louis. He grieves along with her family and friends.

Thank you to Dr. Bishop for his kindness and compassion and to the paramedics, and the rest of the physicians and nurses in the emergency department and in the ICU at PRHC who took exceptional care of Caitlin and treated family with the utmost compassion and respect.

The family and friends of Caitlin thank everyone for the love, support and (for some) the surprise at her passing. Caitlin was not one to share her pain and journey outside of her close group of friends and family.

In honour of Caitlin, a Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday November 21, 2025 between the hours of 3-5PM at the Bobcaygeon Legion.

We do sincerely thank and appreciate the extended family and community, and our work communities for their cards, texts, phone calls, and food. These have helped and will continue to help in the days to follow.