If You Know Someone Who Lost Their Father, Please Send Them This

Finding and connecting with other men who lost their fathers to suicide is our biggest challenge. A few friends have asked, "What should I say to my friend?" So, I wanted to share this draft email that I would encourage you to edit and share along with a personal note to any men in your life who lost their father to suicide. Thanks!

Add Your Voice to "Fatherless by Suicide," A Collaborative Storytelling Project by and for Men Who Have Lost Fathers to Suicide

Hello,

I am Chris Michael and I invite you to participate in an audio documentary project I'm doing with men who have, like me, lost their fathers to suicide. 

Starting in August, I will be traveling by motorcycle across the country to meet and interview similarly affected men to create a collaborative storytelling project, Fatherless by Suicide. I believe that stories are how we understand our world, our place in it and how we can enhance it.

I lost my father to suicide when I was three years old, and I’ve spent the three decades since avoiding the topic and my own emotions around being fatherless. Throughout, I've yearned for conversations with other men who lost their fathers to suicide so I could learn how they've navigated their path to manhood, healing, and—for those who are now fathers themselves—fatherhood. 

In addition to meeting and sharing with similarly affected men, this project aims to support other men whose fathers died by suicide and also reduce the shame and stigma around suicide and improve our ability to better support the millions who live in the wake of it. 

Get Involved and Add Your Voice

If you have lost your father to suicide, I'd like to meet with you this summer and incorporate your story and insights into this audio documentary project. Learn how to get involved and set up an interview at www.FatherlessbySuicide.com.  I also welcome your ideas and feedback—and I greatly appreciate your support as well. Please be in touch via www.FatherlessbySuicide.com or fatherlessbysuicide@gmail.com.

The suicide of one’s father is a painful legacy to work through. I hope that this project will help to address that challenge.

Many thanks and with hopes that I have the privilege to meet with some of you in the coming weeks and months,

Chris Michael

P.S.  If you’re not interested in participating but know others who have lost their fathers to suicide, please don’t hesitate to forward this email on to them.