<p>Death by suicide is devastating to family and friends. My brother (bipolar) died about 3 years ago, and we still have not recovered completely. I highly recommend support groups such as Heartbeat for support for the surviving family members and friends. Our family particularly appreciated people who brought food, those who helped my sister-in-law with minor home repairs, and those who shared their own experiences as survivors of suicide. For the teen’s friends, it is really important to talk about mental illness and the role it often/usually plays in suicide.<br>
I am truly sorry for your/your child/s loss.</p>
<p>My deep sympathy to all in this thread that have been touched by a suicide.</p>
<p>At the high school my BIL teaches in, when a student dies, they have a trained professional who follows that students schedule for the day. I think it’s such a good idea and must be of comfort for those students who must face the empty desk.</p>
<p>Lots of good advice here. If you can, mark it on your calender next year and contact the family to let them know that their child is still in your heart.</p>
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One of many excellent small, but important, pieces of advice. When a year had passed from the day the kid in our town committed suicide, there was a gathering of his friends at his family home. I don’t know whose idea it was (parent initiated or friend initiated), but I do know from talking to the Mom that it was a perfect way for her to mark that passing.</p>
<p>Many of us might think it a sad day, where family would not want to be reminded, but this told me quite the opposite. At least for some. She took joy in having his friends in the house again, comfort from sharing memories.</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure I know what NOT to do. FOUR of my high school friends committed suicide, and since it was the early '70s such things were never discussed. Deep dark secrets, shame, and the person’s name was never spoken again by adults. We high schoolers talked about the suicides, of course, but never openly, because we knew it was not allowed. I think that silence was one of the things that made the later suicides more likely; if a person just vanishes, maybe you could too.</p>
<p>I exchanged emails recently with the brother of one of those friends (I heard him on the radio and wrote to say that I thought immediately of his brother and his wonderful smile) and he said it was years before his parents recovered, and that his mother still liked to talk about his brother, but few people were willing to, thirty years later.</p>