Memorials

I may have lost my brother, my sister, my parent, my child, my friend, my spouse, my partner ... but I am alive.   I am a survivor of the dark night of unspeakable loss, of my own darkness and ... I am alive.

I am unwilling to stand idly by and allow shame to defeat love or silence to defeat action.  I stand for the enlightenment of a society that would hide from suicide ... and I am alive.

I am unwilling for my perseverance to be in vain.Unwilling for the passing of my loved one to be in shame. I loved them more than I loved myself and their life will have meaning in my action.  I am alive.

In a world blinded by the pursuit of pleasure, I am here to say that people are in pain. In a world rushing to get ahead, I am here to say that people are being left behind.In a world obsessed with the value of the market, I am here to speak for the value of life ... and I'm alive

This will be no quiet fight. I am the voice of audacity in the face of apathy. I am the spirit of bravery in a world of caution. I am a commitment of action in the face of neutrality.

I am into the light and I am alive."

Dan Pallotta at the Out of the Darkness Suicide Awareness Walk in DC, 2002

I will carry you with me ...

 Memorial Tattoos

The Alliance of Hope supports Putting a Face on Suicide.  Every 15 minutes someone dies by suicide in the United States, that’s 96 or so people each day. Putting a Face on Suicide [PAFOS] is an ongoing project soliciting pictures of your loved ones who died by suicide. Each 96 pictures will be used in a poster and a video, representing one day’s loss.

"I'll cry with you,"
she whispered
"until we run out of tears.
Even if it's forever.
We'll do it together."

There it was . . . a simple
promise of connection.

The loving alliance of
grief and hope that
blesses both our breaking
apart and our coming
together again.

Molly Fumia, Safe Passage