Life After Suicide | September is Suicide Prevention Month

Last updated: September 5, 2025, at 3:44 p.m. PT

Originally published: September 5, 2025, at 3:44 p.m. PT

hand open and raised in front of a sunrise

Written by Jamie Saltoon, Peer Support Specialist II, Behavioral Health – CMH Child Crisis Outreach, YMCA Social Impact Center

We wake each morning ready to start our day, as we always do. No one anticipates that in a matter of seconds, one phone call can change life forever. Sometimes the words on the other end bring joy. Other times, they bring devastating news that alters everything you thought you knew. Words that echo endlessly, impossible to fully process, as a new reality takes over. In that life-changing moment, you know you will never be the same.

I am a suicide loss survivor, and this is my experience.

My son ended his life after years of struggling with mental health challenges. There were conflicting diagnoses, countless medications, and repeated hospitalizations. I was his primary caretaker, always trying to keep him safe and advocating for him, even as much of his struggle remained hidden from me. For fifteen years I fought beside him, never giving up. I promised him that.

There were moments of hope—days when he was his loving, caring, funny, and brilliant self. But there were also darker days, when his illness surfaced and I would wait for him to return once the episode calmed. Over time, the balance shifted. The good days grew fewer. His suffering grew heavier.

In the end, the voices, paranoia, isolation, and anger became more than he could bear. I will never know the final catalyst, the breaking point. I remind myself that he is no longer suffering—that he is free from the pain, fear, and stress that weighed on him so deeply.

My purpose now is to continue the fight for him. To never give up, as I promised.

Resilience in the Face of Loss

Resilience is defined as the capacity to withstand or recover quickly from difficulties. Have I recovered? No—and likely never will. The grief and loss are etched inside me, part of who I am now. But I have chosen to let resilience guide me.

For me, resilience means advocacy: raising awareness about suicide, challenging stigma, sharing my story, and pushing for better mental health services in our communities. It means telling my son’s story again and again so that others might listen, learn, and feel less alone.

I have read extensively, learned from others, and connected with organizations like NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention). I am not ashamed to share my story. I know that by speaking, I open the door for others to speak too.

Suicide loss survivors—like me—need space to talk about our loved ones. To share how we truly feel. Suicide is not something we “get over.” We carry our loved ones with us in tragic and complicated ways. We don’t need shame or silence. We need compassion and understanding.

This is my purpose: to help provide that understanding to others, to hold space for their grief, and to let the world know that my son was a beautiful person who left us far too soon.

Moving Forward with Purpose

I know my son is with me. I feel his presence and hear his guidance. He reminds me to keep going, to continue this work. My resilience is not about moving on—it is about moving forward. Each day, I carry him with me as I advocate, support, and share.

I hear him saying: “Good on ya, Mum.”

And so, I keep moving. For him.

The YMCA Social Impact Center is Here to Help

The YMCA Social Impact Center provides wraparound support for youth and young adults, including shelter, counseling, employment training, and educational resources. We also provide counseling services and suicide prevention programs for people of all ages.

Last year:

1,112 referrals were made to our Crisis Outreach and Response System, with 372 participants enrolling.
1,664 individuals received mental health counseling — expanding our reach by 9.5%.

If you or someone you know needs help, please reach out. And remember: it only takes one conversation to start a path toward hope.

Learn more about the Y's Children’s Crisis Outreach Response System