Tom died the Monday before spring break in 2015. He attended the same school where I worked. I took the week off, of course, to mourn and make arrangements. But the Friday before break, I was granted permission to attend my Theatre Arts class. It was safe with my husband, the principal, and a counselor present along with my students. We did our usual entry activity and then talked about the play they were watching in my absence. It was an hour of ...
Ripples of Hope
Five years ago today, late in the afternoon, we received the call which shattered our lives. Our son, Tom, killed himself. My memories of that day are incomplete due to trauma. I do remember snapshots and short videos of the horror of the day which still have a hold on me although, through counseling, no longer suffocate me. Within hours, our family made the decision to be transparent about the cause of his death without realizing the ...
Picture This
We have many pictures of Tom from his younger days. He often wore a huge smile complete with a gap between his two front teeth. You could see his love of life on his face. I look at those pictures now and long to hold that carefree child again.
As Tom matured, he did not like having his picture taken. He would sit for his annual school picture because the district required it for its records, and because I asked him to so I would have pictures ...
Death Chose Him
I wrote this piece about 13 months after Tom died. It has been over four and a half years now since he passed. Although I no longer look for someone or something beyond his depression and anxiety on which to blame Tom's death, I still cringe when I hear people talk about suicide in stigmatizing ways. This piece reflects on how I finally framed and processed his death by ...
Overcoming Guilt and Shame after a Suicide
As a survivor we often struggle with guilt and shame after losing a loved one to suicide. How did I not see the signs? Michelle joins us today to discuss how she overcame the guilt and shame of losing her only son to suicide. Thank you Michelle for sharing your story.
Six years ago, my husband and I lost our only child to suicide. He was 21, had a long-term girlfriend who was the love of his life, and the love and support of a very close-knit ...