Offering hope, comfort and support for survivors of suicide loss.
Whether it’s a suicide or another type of horrific tragedy, experiencing the public-facing death of a loved one in today’s online age is something I wish upon no one. It’s enough to experience the trauma and another to see complete strangers interjecting with their unwelcome opinions. This is something we didn’t face years ago and it can add an entirely new component to grief recovery.
I cringe when I see media reporting on suicides and ...
In the wake of losing our dads to suicide in 2011, we met at a local support group for newly bereaved young adults. In the years since, we’ve bonded over our grief and committed to helping others navigate their journeys as survivors. Saturday, November 19, 2016 marks International Survivors of Suicide Day and we wanted to share how our experience as survivors over the past few years has reframed how we perceive and acknowledge the day.
Survivor ...
Survivors of a suicide loss are susceptible to “grief attacks,” when the emotional impact of a loved one’s death strikes without warning. I experienced these commonly in the early weeks, months and years following my dad’s death. Some days, they were prompted by a song playing on the radio while I drove in the car. Other days, it was the stark realization he is gone forever. Now that I am five years out, I find that my emotional reactions to his ...
Guest blogger Michelle shares a candid personal piece about the loss of her husband to suicide, the difficult conversation with her son that followed and finding strength through that fragile moment.
The Tiny Fragments
My husband John always did Halloween well. He did two costumes every year: one to match me for the adult parties we went to, and one to match the kids when we took them Trick-or-Treating. I never cared to partake in this ...
Surviving the loss of a loved one to suicide can be especially difficult for those who are not blood relatives or a spouse of the deceased. It’s not uncommon for survivors in these instances to feel lonely, alienated by the family or even blamed for what happened. Today we share the story of Jean Mellano, who lost her partner Steve after 33 years together. She details her difficult experience as a partner and not the spouse, originally published ...
