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L'Oréal of Paris WOMEN OF WORTH My Story by Bonnie McClelland On 1/21/02 I walk into my only child's bedroom and found him dead by suicide he was 17. As his friends came to my home I promised them we would do something to stop suicide. Only 9 days later another friend died by suicide and 5 weeks after that yet another. After a month I got my son's suicide note it had a ps "learn from this and help each other" With the help and loving support of my son Tim's friends I started Suncoast Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program. I now teach suicide prevention, work as an advocate on a local state national, and international level. I help mentor other survivors as they start on this pain filled lonely journey. Much of my story and my work can be found on our web site www.suncoastyr.org When your child dies and especially your only child you life is forever shattered and gone. You have to learn to reconstitute yourself and find how you can once again relate in this world. You have to remember how to laugh how to live come to terms with your right to find joy peace and happiness to learn to trust in love and be able to play in life once more. The courage to speak up about suicide and teen suicide in the face of the stigma teaches others what suicide is about and give them permission to speak openly. It increases the possibility to save lives. Suicide is the 11 cause of death in the US 3rd for our teens 2nd for college age. We need more people to stand up and say I am not ashamed my loved one died of mental illness. The only disease you can die of that has a different name when you die. People need to know there is a quite epidemic stealing lives and no one wants to talk about. how can you stop an epidemic if no one wants to talk about it and learn that what they thought they knew of suicide is totally incorrect. No one told me the warning signs risk factors or triggers. Not the school that Baker Acted him (a Florida law to put people into 3 day surveillance if they are thought to be suicidal) not the mental health institute that had him not his psychologist of 1 1/2 years NO ONE. Would he be alive today if I had know I will never have the privilege of knowing that. This is why my story is so compelling. It educates people on suicide and as important on grieving and understanding and how to help others in grief Bonnie's story was originally printed in L'Oreal of Paris Women of Worth website.
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