Suicide Prevention and Survival

Family Matters

How do individuals and families survive after the suicide of a relative or close friend? How can some suicides be prevented? These will be our topics of discussion. When Carl David was only sixteen, his brother Bruce, age 22, committed suicide. Bruce’s unexpected death tore the David family apart. There were too many questions unanswered and seemingly too much hurt to bear. The family had to learn to fight, stay strong, and choose life. Suicide claims more than a million lives each year. It knows no boundaries -- not age, gender, color, race, or nationality. Its victims are pulled down by depression, disease, sexual confusion, bullying, peer pressures, drugs, feelings of desperation, and/or deep feelings of inadequacy. Teens and young adults are especially vulnerable. Mr. David will discuss his book “Bader Field: How My Family Survived Suicide,” which he hopes will help others cope with depression and suicidal tendencies and not apply a permanent solution to a temporary problem.