For me and my family and his friends, we have our own support group and celebrate my son’s life every day.

Suicide is a mental illness and should not be considered a taboo subject. We choose to talk lots, even when it is painful to talk about him, laugh at the stories, even when it brings back feelings of missing him , we celebrate his birthday as it is his birth into this life that we want to remember, not his departing.

Focus on what we can change like getting rid of the stigma around the subject of suicide by talking lots, being proud of the life we had and still have with him though it is different, it hasn’t ended. We try not dwell on what we can’t control because it will only destroy us and be kind and understanding to ourselves and patient with the others that are trying to help.

Everything we do, affects someone else, suicide survivors can attest to that. Every person we touch in a positive way, opens the door to understanding. We may be only a few voices, but we can make a difference . Who knows, maybe some day suicides will deminish greatly because people won’t be afraid to ask for help and won’t be treated differently for it. I pray for that every day.