Attending my first survivors’ group meeting was met with heartache, sadness, uncertainty, but mostly being scared. In wanting to be strong, not able to, I made a decision on faith alone to go because all of what I was feeling was very intense and overwhelming. I did know to the core of my being I wanted to talk to people who knew how I felt and would understand my pain and severe feeling of guilt. Read more
PAT-LOST SIGNIFICANT OTHER
A suicide specific support group helps you cope with such unanswered questions like, “What did I do wrong? Did I cause this? What didn’t I do to save my loved one? Why didn’t he love me enough to talk to me or someone else”. Read more
PHYLLIS- Lost Spouse TO SUICIDE
When I lost my husband, Mark, to suicide in April 2003, I thought I already knew how to deal with the grief since I had lost my previous husband Tom in April, 1987. I had a rude awakening. Grief due to death by suicide is vastly different than grief due to death by cancer. Read more
SUSAN-LOST SIGNIFICANT OTHER TO SUICIDE
I gained so much peace of mind from attending your splendid group, following the suicide death of Mark, our 48-year-old son. His unexpected decision to end his life blindsided me and my thinking I could handle grief well. Read more
LOUISE – LOST SON TO SUICIDE
My 28-year-old daughter Diane died of a self inflicted gunshot wound, 17 years ago. I attended a grief group and just before a break in group, I was asked what happened to her–my answer was she had died of suicide. After the break, I had empty chairs to my right and left with no more conversation with those who were grieving “Normal Deaths.” Read more
EVELYN-LOST DAUGHTERS TO SUICIDE
I think that going to group helps with a lot of things. It helps with gaining the control back in our lives by giving us knowledge to help us cope and deal with the fact that life as we knew it has changed forever. Read more
DINA- LOST SISTER TO SUICIDE
I just wanted to let you and everyone in group know that I never would have imagined 5 months ago, the shape that Shannon and I were in, that by walking into a group of total stranger would turn our lives around. Read more
JULIA- LOST SISTER TO SUICIDE
If I had to sum up in a couple of sentences what the group has done for me in the past five months, it would be very difficult! One thing is for sure, I wouldn’t be where I am today without them. Read more
SHANNON- LOST MOM TO SUICIDE
We lost our son to suicide in the winter of 2009. Having attended other groups, we found this one and it helped us so much. They are fantastic. Being warm, compassionate and caring, they showed us they understood how it feels. Read more
SHARON- LOST SON TO SUICIDE
I am very thankful and grateful for finding the SAS (Surviving After a Suicide Loss) Group sixteen months ago when my sister died by suicide. To be with a group of wonderful people “who know” the feelings and emotions associated with the disease is immeasurable. Read more
DEBI- LOST SISTER TO SUICIDE
Members of our family oriented support group share a unique bond because of the horrendous tragedy they have experienced. We meet weekly, being a peer led group, by two people who share in this type of grief and have been volunteering their time for 24 years. Read more
ELISSA- LOST LIFE PARTNER TO SUICIDE
Being able to go to a weekly meeting saved my life. Sharing the pain and anxiety with others eased the loss…in time. There is a bond between survivors that other people in my life cannot understand. Our group leaders are the most dedicated people I have met. Read more
KERRY- SUICIDE LOSS SURVIVOR
When my mother died of suicide, the words shock and horror came to mind. I was lost, angry, confused, hurt and depressed. While I am blessed to have an amazing support system, I often feel alone and that many of my friends and family did not understand my feelings. Read more
ELIZABETH- LOST MOTHER TO SUICIDE