[Click the Audio Above To Hear this Post Read to You]

The loss of a loved one to suicide leaves an ache that words can barely touch. It’s natural to feel confused and overwhelmed, asking, “How could this happen?” or “Why didn’t they ask for help?” These questions are heavy and often unanswerable, but I want to share parts from my own story in the hope it might offer some clarity and compassion to those wrestling with this pain.

My Journey Through the Darkness

I have walked the road of suicidal thoughts and even attempts—one of which led to hospitalization in 1992. These struggles often felt like silent battles—unseen and unheard by those around me. What made it even harder was the absence of a clear reason for the intensity of my emotions. Despite walking a difficult road in life, for the most part, I could manage—until I couldn’t. Feelings of overwhelm would crash over me suddenly, like waves pulling me under, leaving me drowning in hopelessness and self-doubt.

For decades, I c...