This note is published with permission from the parent who sent it. Her daughter also gave consent. Trigger warning: suicide attempt method mentioned.
My 27-year-old daughter had decided that the pain was too great, that she was a burden on everyone, and that since she was going to die anyway, might as well do it that night.
She went to google to find a site to learn how to hang herself. When she clicked on the link, she came to your site and a video with your son’s spoken word. It had such a big impact on her that she called me for help and came over to my house. I did not realize how close she was to leave us all.
She has told me she was suicidal on thousands of nights over the past 15 years and I started to interpret those words as saying, “I’m in so much pain I want to die.” I had no idea Saturday night was the night she decided to die. I have asked her to call me, day or night if she’s not safe, and she has many times.
But on Saturday night, she had convinced herself that it was time for her to die. You prevented her death.
I just wanted you to know that you saved another life on Saturday night and you saved another mother from unspeakable pain – I have three friends who lost children to suicide and while I can’t imagine how they feel, I can see the grief they carry and how it’s affected them.
Today I wanted to find your site to share on my FB page. I went to google and searched for “how to hang yourself” and the first three pages of results were all sites with actual instructions. After three pages, I stopped looking for your site. That’s why I think Saturday night, a miracle happened and my daughter was drawn to your site. Or maybe she found you because she’s closer to your son’s age when he died?
The only reason I found you again was because I had written down the name of your book to order. Could you please send me a link to the video that saved my daughter? I would like to post it for others.
Heartfelt thanks for saving my daughter’s life.
Eileen
Comments from Anne Moss
Video link to share is here: https://youtu.be/pm-c09hRlDQ
This is the video link that many find from a search, land, and comment on but I have to offer a trigger warning because the title is suggestive. For vulnerable teens, I would not recommend sharing this link. One, because suicide method is mentioned and potentially triggering to vulnerable teens.
- TEDx: Can a Blog Save Lives? (6-minute video)
- Can a blog save lives? Proof that this does work. Not artificial intelligence but internet empathy.
DEar Ann,
I got your book and I do hope to do my best to prevent suicide.
Unfortunately I lost my beautiful son, he died by suicide and I am convinced / sure he found all information in google. So you got the point … if we want to stop suicide, our fight must start from internet.
You are such an inspiration but I lost all the strength to go on
Lots of love
Anna Maria
Oh Anna Maria (and my name, Anne Moss is also a double name) I’m so sorry you have had such despair over the loss of your son. I have felt that, too. And it hurts like crazy. I’m concerned about you since you stated, “I lost all the strength to go on.” Can you elaborate on that? Can you tell me how you are right now? I want to make sure you are safe from suicide.