When it comes to suicide loss, every individual’s experience of grief is uniquely their own – yet hope and understanding can be found by connecting with others who have lost a loved one, and learning about the path they have taken toward healing.

AFSP is proud to launch a new series of videos, “Living with Suicide Loss,” that spotlights survivors of suicide loss and their stories of hope and healing. The videos each tell one person's story of losing a loved one to suicide, navigating the pain of their loss, and what they have learned about how influences like culture, religion, background, and community can all affect the healing journey.

"The video series is a powerful addition to the existing resources AFSP offers suicide loss survivors," says Erika Barber, chair of AFSP's Loss and Healing Council. "We know that connection is a fundamental component to healing after a loss, and these videos offer suicide loss survivors opportunities to connect with featured speakers who are also loss survivors, and who may share similar experiences, questions, challenges and emotions."

Natalia Chimbo-Andrade, a volunteer with AFSP's Arizona Chapter, is a survivor of suicide loss. When her family member died by suicide, Natalia's Latinx community didn't talk about it. But as Natalia reminds us in her video, acknowledging how someone died, and having an open and honest discussion about it, is an important part of being able to talk about and celebrate that person:

"When you come from a culture, whatever culture you belong to, and you don't talk about truly, truly, truly what had happened, especially if it's an individual that has struggled with a mental health condition, then how can you truly talk about how they lived and the legacy they left behind?"

Natalia is one of many survivors of suicide loss whose stories and insights you can hear, learn from, and take comfort in. No matter who you are, or where you are in your healing journey, these videos show that it is okay to grieve on your own timeline, in your own way, and that it is possible to live a rich, healthy life, even as you remember your loved one.