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This year’s International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day event will be Nov. 19 at Bonnerup Funeral and Cremation Services, at 2210 E. Main St. 

Registration starts at noon, with the program from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. 

Unfortunately, many in the area have experienced the challenge and ache that occurs following the loss of a loved one to suicide.

International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day (Survivors Day or ISOSLD) is a day when people affected by suicide loss gather in their local communities to find comfort and gain understanding as they share stories of healing and hope. Survivors Day was created by an act of Congress in 1999 and since then has been sponsored and supported by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). 

For many loss survivors, attending a Survivor Day event is an opportunity to discover that they are not alone in their experience of losing someone they know and love to suicide.

This is the seventh time a Survivors of Suicide Loss event will be offered at Bonnerup Funeral Service. Due to COVID-19 concerns, it has not been offered in Albert Lea for the past three years. People who have attended in the past have found connections to others and comfort by being in the company of those who truly understand what it means to lose someone to suicide. The afternoon provides a safe and supportive space of being in the same room with other survivors. Frequently, those who have experienced a loss to suicide blame themselves and may replay for many years what they might have done differently.

For some the loss occurred many years ago and was kept secret. The secret or sometimes shame prevents survivors from being able to face, process and share their grief. Having an opportunity to speak of the death and to identify and express feelings can assist in experiencing healing on this very painful grief journey. This event is an opportunity to learn, find resources and realize they are not alone in their grief. It enables participants the opportunity to help others as well as themselves. Those with recent losses along with those who experienced the loss many years ago, support each other in recognizing that although the pain and grief remain, healing can occur and you can live a rich and meaningful life.

There is no charge for the local event. 

To register to attend the event at Bonnerup Funeral Service call 507-373-2461 or email judy@bonnerupfuneralservice.com. 

For those who are unable to attend a Survivor Day event in person, AFSP hosts a Survivor Day program online at afsp.org/SurvivorDay. 

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention website (afsp.org) has additional information related to suicide, including ways to process the loss of a loved one, understanding how to help someone at risk, how to advocate for passing suicide prevention policies and more.