"Survivor Showcase" is a feature of the Grief after Suicide blog that highlights the personal stories of survivors of suicide loss (and occasionally other bereaved people) whose experiences with grief and recovery have been reported in the news.
The news from Inside Ottawa Valley includes a report on a husband and wife bicycling across Canada to raise funds in memory of their son, who died by suicide in 2001 at age 21. Ginny and Kerry Dennehy "have raised $700,000 so far on this trip, and they are confident they will reach their goal" of $2 million."It fills a bit of a hole for us," said Kerry of the trip. "We have a duty to talk about it and, let's face it, time does heal." "You never get over it," added Ginny. "You integrate these changes into your life."The Monroe (La.) News Star shares the story of Teddi McGehee and her fellow survivors of suicide loss who started the support group Heartbeat Monroe: Suicide Loss Support in 2006. McGehee, whose 24-year-old son died by suicide in 2002, says of losing a loved one to suicide:
"Those who suffer from mental illness, they feel that they are alone, no one understands them," said Ginny. "And no one cares." At this point, Kerry jumps in -- "and they do care."
"I think the main thing is you feel like it was a death that didn't have to be ... You ask yourself 'Could I have stopped it? Could I have done this? Could I have done that?' Our goal [in the group] is for other survivors to realize that what they are feeling is normal."Group adviser Betty Jean James, whose 30-year-old son died by suicide in 2001, says the support group gives survivors
"... hope that they can survive the suicide of a loved one and that there's still meaning to their life ... It gives them the willingness and the desire to get better."