Suicide is a taboo subject to discuss and even think about. No one wants to talk about it, yet it is a leading cause of death. My 32-year-old brother, at the time, committed suicide. My brother and I grew up close, although we were 10 years apart. I considered him my Little Big Brother. I had no clue he was contemplating suicide and would actually carry it through. How would I know? Maybe there were signs that I wasn’t aware of, or maybe there were?
 
This book is for those who may have suicidal thoughts or lost a loved one due to suicide. If you or someone you know may be contemplating suicide in the U.S., contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, National Hopeline Network: 1-800-SUICIDE or call/text 988 Suicide Crisis Lifeline or chat at 988lifeline.org
 
I would like you to read my story to visualize the hurt and pain suicide caused. Although the hurt and pain has happened on different levels for different people, you still have to have a listening ear, and seek help, whether through prayer, counseling, moral support or all..
Mental health is real and has become more prominent in recent years. Mental health has now crossed the halls of schools to the halls of government buildings. It was hard for me to hear of someone thinking about suicide and hard for me to say the word suicide.
But over time, I was able to talk about it and say it because it allowed me to help others because the social-emotional well-being of others is important. According to the CDC, suicide rates increased 30% between 2000-2018. Unfortunately, my brother was part of that statistic.