“I Want It All Back”: Remembering Dylan, My Forever Son, Through Cherished Memories of Love
Key Takeaways
- The article “I Want It All Back”: Remembering Dylan, My Forever Son Through Cherished Memories of Love is a tribute to the author’s son, Dylan, who died by suicide, exploring themes of grief and healing.
- Beth Brown shares personal memories that highlight her bond with Dylan, invoking strong emotions and reflections on loss.
- She aims to connect with others facing similar grief, offering support through her writing and discussions of cherished memories.
- The narrative emphasizes the continuous impact of Dylan’s absence while celebrating the love they shared.
Summary
“I Want It All Back: Remembering Dylan, My Forever Son, Through Cherished Memories of Love is a heartfelt tribute to the author’s son, Dylan, who died by suicide. The author, Beth Brown, shares her journey of grief, healing, and finding solace in writing and music. Through her blog, she aims to connect with others who have experienced similar losses, offering support and understanding.
Introduction: Remembering Dylan, My Forever Son
“I Want It All Back”: Remembering Dylan, My Forever Son, Through Cherished Memories of Love captures a deep sense of grief and personal memories associated with the author’s son, Dylan, conveying a strong emotional connection. Vivid imagery and personal anecdotes evoke a strong emotional response from readers, inviting them to reflect on their own experiences of loss and love.
Through poignant recollections of joyful moments spent together and the profound silence that now fills the author’s life, the narrative illustrates not only the irreplaceable bond shared between parent and child but also the enduring impact of those cherished memories. The post invites readers to join in a journey of remembrance, encouraging them to celebrate the lives of those they have lost, while also acknowledging the pain of separation that remains in their hearts.
My Forever Son
My Forever Son explores the profound grief, hope, and healing that follow the tragedy of losing a child to suicide.
My Forever Son dovetails the author’s journey of descending into deep grief, searching for hope, and finding healing along the way.
Related Reads
Table of Contents
Remembering Dylan, My Forever Son–I Want It All Back
I remember
Beth Brown, I Want It All Back: Remembering Dylan, My Forever Son
sitting in the car
crying
when I took you
to kindergarten
the first time.
I had to let go–
I still don’t want to let go.
I Want It All Back: Remembering Dylan
I Want It All Back: Saturday Nights, Pepperoni Pizza, and Sleepovers
Saturday night and I just miss Dylan–everything, intensely.
I want it all back–Dylan and our gray cat, Luci, flopped on the couch.
Maybe just a quiet Saturday night, watching t.v.
Or maybe Dylan gaming with his friends, laughing and cracking jokes, eating pepperoni pizza.
Trading Guitar Licks and Favorite Bands
Maybe Dylan and his friends playing music, trading guitar licks from their favorite bands–Avenged Sevenfold, Asking Alexandria, Papa Roach–writing their own guitar parts to their original music.
Guitars. Bass. Acoustic rat-a-tat-tat drums. Keyboards.
Lots of laughter. And the intensity and passion of teenagers wanting to make it big as a band. I miss everything.
I want it all back.
Dylan here–just here.
Shredding on Saturday Nights
Being Silly at Grandma’s House
I Remember the Growing Up Years
Being born a month too soon, worried sick seeing you in an incubator–
Bringing you home to a house filled with love, guitars, four cats and a dog–a Shepard-collie mix named Jessica who loved you, even when you took her favorite toy, an old sock tied up with a tennis ball inside.
You learned to Crawl Faster Than Jessica Could make a Getaway with Her Dog Toy
You would squeal with glee, and Jessica would sigh the way dogs do, lie down, and patiently wait for you to be finished with her sock toy.
You didn’t really want Jessica’s chewed-up sock toy, just the silly giggles you would get because you had learned to crawl faster than she could make a getaway with her dog toy.
Oh Dylan, How I wish I had shared this memory with you–before you went away farther than I could find you.
A Lullaby for You
My Child on Earth Above, In Heaven’s Care
Remembering Dylan, My Forever Son
Remembering the Growing Up Years
All Giggles and Smiles, Mickey Mouse and Blue’s Clues
I remember giggles and smiles, Mickey Mouse and Blue’s Clues, and the way you clapped with delight when you saw the chocolate cake for your 1st birthday.
[Suggested Reading]: I Will Love You Forever Mom
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Mexican Dip, and Laughing Over “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?”
I Remember Making Our Homemade 5-Layer Mexican Dip
I remember making 5-layer Mexican Dip and laughing, howling even, over “Who’s Line is it Anyway?”
We would make Mexican 5-layer dip, open a bag of blue tortilla chips, and carry it all into our living room.
Dylan would flop on the couch, grab a handful of chips, and then scoop deeply into the Mexican 5-layer dip.
Avocados, Red Onion, Cilantro, Jalapeños, and Fresh Lime Juice
Beautiful Memories: Dylan whirring the avocados, chopped red onion, chopped cilantro, and jalapenos in the food processor, then squeezing lots of fresh lime juice and sprinkling sea salt for good measure.
I would make the bean dip–pinto, black, and kidney beans, a couple of cloves of garlic, sea salt, and salsa to taste.
Building the 5-Layer Mexican Dip, Replete with Chopped Tomatoes and Black Olives
Then Dylan and I would build the fabulous layers on a glass oval dish designated especially for Mexican Dip: Bean dip on the bottom, then guacamole, then sour cream, then shredded Mexican cheese, then fresh tomatoes, and chopped black olives.
I still have the recipe–If only I could have kept Dylan along with the recipe. I miss my son.
[Suggested Reading]: A Poem About Losing My Son: “Derecho–A Storm Out of Nowhere”
Memories of You as the Blue Power Ranger and My Catching You Just in Time
Power Rangers–your blue and white diamond-checkered costume that your Aunt Linda made, replete with Power Ranger sword, jumping from the top stair and my catching you just in time.
I remember Froggie and Small Pig, Henry and Mudge, the Rugrats (Chuckie) and Charlie Brown, school classroom parties with Halloween costumes and all that candy (chocolate always was your favorite).
[Suggested Reading]: The Family Table: Love, Loss, and Healing
I Walk Past Your Room
I walk past your room to memories of you–
The heavy sweet scent of Axe Body Spray and your playing Call of Duty on your computer
Empty pepperoni pizza boxes stuffed under your bed
Finding your Nike sneakers with laces untied.
I can still hear the way your footsteps sounded on the hardwood floorboards that always creaked.
[Suggested Reading]: Dylan: Forever Loved and Remembered
An Aquarium Full of Frozen Fish
Dylan with braces and an aquarium full of fish.
In December of 2004, we had a fierce ice storm that knocked out our power for 9 days.
The fish? Well, they didn’t survive. This is the year Dylan got an X-Box, his first gaming system, for Christmas, but there was no electricity! No power for 9 days.
Camping Out in Front of Grandma’s Fireplace
He and I camped out with our sleeping bags in Grandma and Grandpa’s living room near their gas fireplace, ate peanut butter sandwiches, and played card and board games.
Dylan was disappointed, but to me, it’s one of my most memorable Christmas’s with him.
[Suggested Reading]: Blue-Sky Moon: A Poem About Losing a Child to Suicide
Coffee, Mosaic, and Crushes on Girls
I remember all the coffee you drank (morning stops at Dunkin’ Doughnuts) your senior year of high school, the way Emily gave you rides to school, how much you liked being at Mosaic for school.
The Way the Darkness Fell Around You
And in looking back, I remember the way the darkness fell around you, seemingly teenage angst, in reality full-fledged depression.
I remember the way you lost interest in playing in band and going out for sports.
I remember the way you were painfully shy with girls, and the girl who broke your heart when you were 14.
I remember the girl you had a crush on starting in fifth grade and for the rest of your life.
But most of all? I remember you, Dylan, I remember you.
[Suggested Reading]: 11 Years After Suicide Loss: I Still Want to Believe
Carrying Ache and Love In Suicide Loss
Time does not heal all wounds, but throughout the passage of time these past 10 years, my grief has evolved and changed shape. Who I was before Dylan took his life and who I am now are not the same, but at least there is a version of me to carry on.
Dylan’s memorial date (“anniversary” never seems befitting of such a solemn remembrance) as well as his birthday are still difficult days to move through. And holidays will never be the same. My world came to a screeching halt 10 years ago, but I have found a way to move forward in grief.
I have grown accustomed to carrying ache and love. Now, after all this time, Ache and Love walk together in my heart. Holding hands, one is never without the other, but ache and love have carried me—and carry me still.
[Suggested Reading]: Carrying Ache and Love in Suicide Loss
Beth Brown, Author
About the Author
Beth Brown is a writer, educator, and bereaved mother who shares her journey of healing after losing her only son, Dylan, to suicide. Through poetry, essays, and her blog My Forever Son, Beth offers comfort and hope to others navigating grief, honoring the enduring bond between parent and child and celebrating the small joys that illuminate the path toward healing.
Meet the Author: Writing Through the Abyss
by Beth Brown
There are places that cannot be mapped, only entered—terrains of loss where language falters and the heart, stripped of its certainties, must learn to speak again. I am Beth Brown, a mother whose son, Dylan, died by suicide at twenty. My life, once measured by the ordinary rhythms of teaching literature and nurturing a child, was pierced in two: before and after. In the aftermath, I found myself wandering a wilderness where time bent, memory ached, and the world’s colors dimmed to the hush of grief.
On baby’s breath and angel wings,
You bring me love yet still,
— “On Baby’s Breath and Angel Wings”
I did not choose to become a chronicler of sorrow, but grief, relentless and unbidden, pressed its ink into my hands. I wrote because I could not bear the silence. I wrote because the ache demanded witness. In poetry, I found a way to hold both the weight of absence and the persistence of love—a language for the unspeakable, a vessel for memory, a place where my son’s name could still be spoken.
He left too soon,
Lifting life from June,
Casting torrents of rain.
— “He Left Too Soon”
There are nights when the world tilts, and I am returned to the moment of loss, the fracture that remade me. Yet even in the deepest dark, I have learned to listen for the faint music of hope, the pulse of love that endures beyond death.
Beat still my heart,
Beat still my mind,
Weary though thou art,
Carry his love along with thine,
Though heavy on thy shoulders
Crost fields throughout all time.
— “Beat Still My Heart”
My poems are not answers. They are offerings—fragments of a life lived in the shadow of absence, pieced together with longing and the fierce, unyielding devotion of a mother’s heart. They are the record of a journey through the labyrinth of grief, where each turn reveals both the ache of what is lost and the quiet radiance of what remains.
My child sleeps in a cradle of stars,
Gently rocked by the moon
Lullabies in his heart,
Heavens in galaxies swirl round to the sound
Of a mother and child’s love beating on.
Meteor showers, on the darkest of nights,
Bring comfort and joy to my child’s delight,
Aurora Borealis tints sky blue and green,
Where my child remembers his mother in dreams.
–“Falling Stars in a Moonless Sky”
There are questions that haunt the bereaved: Could I have known? Could I have saved you? The mind circles these unanswerable riddles, but the heart, battered and tender, learns to rest in the mystery.
I’d have reached right in to your dark night’s soul—
I would have held on, I would have clutched you,
I would have never let you go
But you told me “Mom I love you”
Oh my child, if I’d only known.
— “Once Upon a Blue-Sky Moon”
In the landscape of loss, I have discovered that love is not diminished by death. It is transformed—becoming both ache and solace, shadow and light, the filament that binds the living to the lost.
Body, mind, soul, rough and ragged,
Weeping tears falling still throughout time,
Carrying weight of mourning and grieving
Falling broken when thou wert mine.
— “Beat Still My Heart”
I write for those who walk this wilderness with me—for the mothers and fathers, siblings and friends, whose lives have been marked by the unthinkable. My hope is that in these poems, you will find not only the echo of your own sorrow, but also the quiet assurance that you are not alone.
Starlight for a mobile twinkling ‘ere so bright,
To remember his mother that darkest of nights,
When slipped he from her grasp and fell through this earth,
Tumbling still planets, sun, folding time in rebirth.
— “Falling Stars in a Moonless Sky”
That we might understand we cannot separate mental illness from physical illness and that try as we might, we cannot see inside another’s pain.
–“Ode to Suicide: That We Might Understand”
And how my heart keeps on beating
Is a mystery to all,
For without you beside me
Through life’s depth I crawl.
I live now life backwards
My heart beating in time,
To the life that we lived
When you, child, were mine.
Try as I might
I can’t seem to live,
For my dreams all belonged,
To your future forward lived.
If you have come here searching for words to companion your grief, I welcome you. My poetry is not a map, but a lantern—casting light on the path we walk, together and alone, toward a horizon where love, undiminished, endures.
But boughs break and love falls through the cracks in the earth,
And the centre can’t hold when orbits, slung far, break their girth,
Gravitational interference, passing stars in the night,
Jetting orbs, falling stars in a moonless sky.
— “Falling Stars in a Moonless Sky”
Grief is wild—untamed, unending, and full of shadows. Yet within its depths, I have found moments of light: a memory, a poem, the gentle rustle of leaves, the warmth of a cup of tea. My words are both ache and love, a testament that even in the deepest sorrow, we can find meaning, connection, and—sometimes—hope. Through poetry, I reach for my son and for all who walk this path. If you find yourself here, know that you are not alone, and that love—like poetry—endures.
If you wish to read more, my collection, Bury My Heart: 19 Poems for Grief and Healing After Losing a Child to Suicide is available on Amazon Kindle. and many other reflections await you at myforeverson.com.
Bury My Heart
The Story of My Forever Son
What Happened? The Backstory to My Forever Son: A Mother’s Grief
I started this blog, My Forever Son: Healing After Losing a Child to Suicide in 2015, three years into my journey of grief. You can read more about what happened here: The Backstory to My Forever Son: A Mother’s Grief recounts the author’s harrowing experience of losing her son to suicide. Her story highlights her grief, guilt, and the healing power of writing, especially through works like the “If Earth Were Sky (And Sky Above)” poem: reflections on love and loss. The blog “My Forever Son” came about as a way for the author to work through this devastating grief that follows the loss of a child to suicide. My Forever Son blog serves as a platform for sharing experiences and finding healing and solace in community.
Find Hope Here: Poetic Reflections on Grief and Healing
Find Hope Here: Poetic Reflections on Grief and Healing offers a heartfelt collection of poems that deeply resonate with the profound sorrow of parents who have experienced the unimaginable pain of losing a child to suicide. These poignant verses navigate the intense emotions of this tragic loss, beautifully capturing the stages of grief while gently guiding readers towards hope and healing on their journey through grief.
The Magnolia Tree: A Symbol of Grief and Resilience
The Magnolia Tree: A Symbol of Grief and Resilience, explores the author’s journey of grief through the metaphor of a Magnolia tree’s cyclical seasons. The author uses photography to illustrate the parallels between nature’s cycles and the seasons of grief, finding hope and healing in writing, gardening, and nature’s resilience. The Magnolia tree’s resilience symbolizes renewal and the possibility of finding joy again despite profound heartbreak. After reflections on nature’s resilience, the author reflects on grief and healing (echoes of joy and shadows of loss) after losing her son to suicide.
Understanding the Unique Aspects of Suicide Grief
Understanding the Unique Aspects of Suicide Grief compassionately delves into the profound challenges of navigating the grief that follows a suicide. The author, who has experienced the heart-wrenching loss of her son, shares her deeply moving personal journey, offering comfort and understanding to those who find themselves in similar anguish. This heartfelt post not only shares her story but also provides a thoughtful collection of articles and professional resources, aimed at helping parents cope with the unimaginable pain of losing a child to suicide.
Navigating Guilt in Grief: A Parent’s Guide
Navigating Guilt in Grief: A Parent’s Guide offers a gentle and understanding perspective on the complex emotions that emerge after the devastating loss of a loved one through suicide, particularly from the vantage point of parents.This guide thoughtfully addresses the overwhelming and often contradictory feelings of grief, guilt, and sorrow that can envelop parents navigating such profound heartache.
Healing After Losing a Child to Suicide: A Guide for Parents
Healing After Losing a Child to Suicide: A Guide for Parents gently supports parents navigating the profound sorrow of losing a child to suicide. This heartfelt article acknowledges the intense grief that such a tragedy brings and offers compassionate guidance on finding a way forward. The healing strategies shared emphasize self-care and the importance of seeking professional help, while inviting parents to connect with others who understand their pain.
Carrying Ache and Love: Healing Longterm Grief in Suicide Loss
I have shared my grief journey on this blog, My Forever Son, reflecting on those painful early years and sharing glimmers of hope along the way. Through sleepless nights and tears, I found that my deep love for my son sustains me through his absence.
Carrying both ache and love after losing my son to suicide has been the crux of my grief journey these past 12 years. I share insights into healing from deep grief in the article, Carrying Ache and Love: Healing Longterm Grief in Suicide Loss, where ache for his absence and love for my son walk together in my heart. Holding hands, one is never without the other, but ache and love have carried me—and carry me still.
When Love Isn’t Enough: “Ode to Suicide: That We Might Understand”
When Love Isn’t Enough: “Ode to Suicide: That We Might Understand,” explores the difficult topic of suicide through the touching treatise, “Ode to Suicide: That We Might Understand,” which challenges the idea that it is just a choice. This meaningful work discusses the certainty of death, no matter the cause, and the limits of love in preventing such loss. Beth Brown, who wrote both the treatise and this article, shares her personal journey of grief after losing her son to suicide, finding comfort in writing and nature photography.
Meet Dylan, My Forever Son
Twenty Years of Love: Dylan
Twenty Years of Love: Dylan offers a poignant exploration of grief and loss, blending together cherished memories and reflections on Dylan’s life. The emotional resonance of this piece is deeply felt, beautifully portraying both the love and sorrow that the author carries in their heart. The thoughtful inclusion of links to further readings about Dylan and resources for support is a compassionate touch that adds immense value to those who may be navigating similar journeys.
Walking Through Shadows: Surviving the Unthinkable Loss of a Child to Suicide
Walking through Shadows: Surviving the Unthinkable Loss of a Child to Suicide offers a deeply moving and heartfelt narrative that illuminates the unimaginable pain of losing a child to suicide. The personal stories shared create a sincere and unfiltered glimpse into the heavy journey of grief and the gradual path toward healing. Through poignant reflections and a poetic exploration on grief, the author navigates the chaotic emotions that accompany such a catastrophic event, revealing both the struggles and the moments of unexpected solace that can emerge even in the darkest times.
I Want It All Back: Remembering Dylan, My Forever Son
I Want It All Back: Remembering Dylan, My Forever Son lovingly encapsulates the profound heartache and cherished memories tied to the author’s beloved son, Dylan. Through heartfelt imagery and poignant personal stories, it invites readers to share in an emotional journey that resonates deeply, fostering a compassionate understanding of loss and love.
I Want to Believe: Searching for Hope After Losing My Son to Suicide
I Want to Believe: Searching for Hope After Losing My Son to Suicide is a heartfelt collection of personal reflections and cherished memories that navigates the profound journey of grief and hope following the heartbreaking loss of a son to suicide. The rawness of the emotions is deeply felt, drawing readers into a shared space of empathy. Through vivid descriptions and nostalgic elements, the work evokes a sense of connection and understanding, while the stunning images inspire hope and healing amidst the sorrow.
Dylan: Forever Loved and Remembered in Our Hearts
Dylan: Forever Loved and Remembered in Our Hearts invites readers into the heart/h-wrenching yet beautifully profound journey of a mother’s grief after the devastating loss of her beloved 20-year-old son, Dylan, who tragically died by suicide. Through a heartfelt collection of original poems and personal reflections, she courageously shares the painful complexities of her sorrow, the small moments of hope that emerged, and her ongoing path toward healing.
Heartfelt Stories and Poems of Love and Loss
“On Baby’s Breath and Angel Wings” Poem: Grieving a Child’s Suicide
“On Baby’s Breath and Angel Wings” Poem: Grieving a Child’s Suicide delves into the deep, heart-wrenching sorrow of losing a child to suicide. This poignant piece not only articulates the immense pain of such a loss but also provides vital resources to navigate the challenging journey of grief. With tender personal reflections and thoughtful coping strategies, the post and poem, “On Baby’s Breath and Angel Wings” serves as a compassionate companion for those who are enduring similar heartaches.
A Grandmother’s Love Held Together the Family Table
A Grandmother’s Love Held Together the Family Table chronicles a family’s journey through the loss of their beloved son, Dylan. This tragedy alters their connections, turning a joyful gathering space into one of reflection. The narrative captures the struggle between despair and acceptance, underscoring love’s enduring power amidst heartache. In honoring Dylan’s memory, they find unexpected joy in their grief, illustrating the resilience of the human spirit in the face of loss.
Grandparents’ Double Grief: Losing a Grandchild to Suicide
Grandparents’ Double Grief: Losing a Grandchild to Suicide gently delves into the profound and heart-wrenching sorrow experienced by grandparents who endure the unimaginable loss of their grandchild. This painful journey envelops them in a dual mourning, as they grieve not only the precious life that is gone but also the shattered dreams and cherished memories that will sorrowfully remain unrealized for their own child, the grieving parent.
Memorial Day: A Mother’s Reflection on Loss, Love, and Unbearable Tragedy
Memorial Day: A Mother’s Reflection on Loss, Love, and Unbearable Tragedy beautifully captures the deep sorrow and unwavering love a mother feels for her son. The author bravely shares her heartfelt journey, navigating the immense pain and heartbreak tied to her son’s fourth suicide attempt on Memorial Day. Through her poignant narrative, she reveals the complex layers of a mother’s grief, intricately woven with fleeting moments of hope that resonate powerfully with anyone who is facing loss.
“Shaped by Love–And This Grief Come to Stay”: A Poem on Suicide Loss
Holding True to My Son’s Narrative: “Shaped by Love” Poem Analysis explores the profound sorrow a parent endures after losing a child to suicide. It addresses themes of grief and guilt, highlighting the heavy shadow such a tragedy casts on life. This poignant narrative captures a parent’s transformative journey in the wake of their child’s absence, revealing emotions of shame while confronting societal stigma surrounding suicide. With compassion and insight, the poem resonates with anyone who has faced similar heart-wrenching experiences.
11 Years After Suicide Loss: I Still Want to Believe
11 Years After Suicide Loss: I Still Want to Believe powerfully conveys the depths of my unyielding grief and a relentless yearning for my beloved son, Dylan, whose vibrant spirit was tragically stolen by suicide eleven heart-wrenching years ago at merely twenty. As my only child, his absence has carved an immense void in my soul, reshaping every facet of my life while perpetually stirring the cherished memories of the beautiful moments we once savored together.
Online Directory for Coping with Grief, Trauma, and Distress
After A Suicide Resource Directory: Coping with Grief, Trauma, and Distress
http://www.personalgriefcoach.net
This online directory links people who are grieving after a suicide death to resources and information.
Alliance of Hope for Suicide Survivors
http://www.allianceofhope.org
This organization for survivors of suicide loss provides information sheets, a blog, and a community forum through which survivors can share with each other.
Friends for Survival
http://www.friendsforsurvival.org
This organization is for suicide loss survivors and professionals who work with them. It produces a monthly newsletter and runs the Suicide Loss Helpline (1-800-646-7322). It also published Pathways to Purpose and Hope, a guide to building a community-based suicide survivor support program.
HEARTBEAT: Grief Support Following Suicide
http://heartbeatsurvivorsaftersuicide.org
This organization has chapters providing support groups for survivors of suicide loss in Colorado and some other states. Its website provides information sheets for survivors and a leader’s guide on how to start a new chapter of HEARTBEAT.
Resources and Support Groups
Parents of Suicides and Friends & Families of Suicides (POS-FFOS)
http://www.pos-ffos.com
This website provides a public message board called Suicide Grief Support Forum, a listserv for parents, a separate listserv for others, and an online chat room for survivors of suicide loss.
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)
https://www.taps.org/suicide
This organization provides resources and programs for people grieving the loss of a loved one who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces or as a result of their service. It has special resources and programs for suicide loss survivors.
United Survivors
https://unitesurvivors.org/
This organization is a place where people who have experienced suicide loss, suicide attempts, and suicidal thoughts and feelings, and their friends and families, can connect to use their lived experience to advocate for policy, systems, and cultural change.
Professional Organizations
American Association of Suicidology
suicidology.org • (202) 237-2280
Promotes public awareness, education and training for professionals, and sponsors an annual Healing After Suicide conference for suicide loss survivors. In addition to the conference, they offer a coping with suicide grief handbook by Jeffrey Jackson. This booklet is also available in Spanish.
The Compassionate Friends
compassionatefriends.org • (877) 969-0010
Offers resources for families after the death of a child. They sponsor support groups, newsletters and online support groups throughout the country, as well as an annual national conference for bereaved families.
The Dougy Center
The National Center for Grieving Children & Families
dougy.org • (503) 775-5683
Publishes extensive resources for helping children and teens who are grieving a death including death by suicide. Resources include the “Children, Teens and Suicide Loss” booklet created in partnership with AFSP. This booklet is also available in Spanish.
Link’s National Resource Center for Suicide Prevention and Aftercare
thelink.org/nrc-for-suicide-prevention-aftercar • 404-256-2919
Dedicated to reaching out to those whose lives have been impacted by suicide and connecting them to available resources.
Tragedy Assistance Programs for Survivors (TAPS)
taps.org/suicide • (800) 959-TAPS (8277)
Provides comfort, care and resources to all those grieving the death of a military loved one through a national peer support network and connection to grief resources, all at no cost to surviving families and loved ones.
LOSS
losscs.org
Offers support groups, remembrance events, companioning, suicide postvention and prevention education, and training to other communities interested in developing or enhancing their suicide postvention and prevention efforts.
Online resources
Alliance of Hope
allianceofhope.org
Provides a 24/7 online forum for suicide loss survivors.
Help Guide
helpguide.org
Provides resources and tips for how to navigate the loss of someone to suicide.
Parents of Suicides (POS) – Friends and Families of Suicides (FFOS)
pos-ffos.com
An internet community to connect parents, friends, and family that have lost someone to suicide.
SAVE: Suicide Awareness Voices of Education
save.org/programs/suicide-loss-support • (952) 946-7998
Hosts resources for suicide loss survivor including a support group database, newsletter, survivor conference and the Named Memorial Program, which offers a special way to honor your loved one.
Siblings Survivors of Suicide Loss
siblingsurvivors.com
Provides resources and a platform to connect with others that have lost a sibling to suicide.
Finding professional care and support
Find a mental health provider
- afsp.org/FindAMentalHealthProfessional
- findtreatment.samhsa.gov
- mentalhealthamerica.net/finding-help
- inclusivetherapists.com
- afsp.org/suicide-bereavement-trained-clinicians
Find a provider for prolonged grief
Find additional resources for marginalized communities
Crisis Services
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
988lifeline.org
Call or text 988 (press 1 for Veterans, 2 for Spanish, 3 for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults) or chat 988lifeline.org
A 24-hour, toll-free suicide prevention service available to anyone in suicidal crisis. You will be routed to the closest possible crisis center in your area. With crisis centers across the country, their mission is to provide immediate assistance to anyone seeking mental health services. Call for yourself, or someone you care about. Your call is free and confidential.
Crisis Text Line
crisistextline.org
Text TALK to 741-741 for English
Text AYUDA to 741-741 for Spanish
Provides free, text-based mental health support and crisis intervention by empowering a community of trained volunteers to support people in their moments of need, 24/7.
Share Your Grief Journey
Let’s Connect and Support Each Other
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Do you remember good memories?
What do you miss?
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About My Forever Son: Grief Support for Parents After Child Loss to Suicide A compassionate grief blog for parents facing child loss to suicide, and for those who love them About My Forever Son A place of remembrance, honest companionship, and gentle direction after child loss to suicide Some losses alter every part of life,…
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Welcome to “My Forever Son”: A Journey of Grief and Healing
Welcome to “My Forever Son”: A Journey of Grief and Healing A tender place for grief, remembrance, and the quiet beginnings of hope Even here, where sorrow has changed the shape of everything, love remains—and sometimes that is where healing begins. This is a gentle place for grieving parents, for those who love them, and…
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When Memorial Day Becomes a Threshold: A Mother’s Story of Suicide Loss and Enduring Love
For bereaved parents, Memorial Day can reopen the deepest ache—summoning trauma, memory, and love that does not end. This reflection offers companionship, witness, and a tender path toward remembrance. When Memorial Day Becomes a Threshold: A Mother’s Story of Suicide Loss and Enduring Love Some losses do not ask to be understood. They ask to…
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