At age 16, Carl David lost his 22-year-old brother to suicide. 

In his words, “The effects on myself and my family were devastating, beyond description. We had but two choices; to pull together or tear each other apart. We chose the former and used every bit of strength to rebuild our lives. The challenges were monumental as every day was day one. We had to start over with each sunrise because the aftereffects were so persistent and the pain so ever present that at times it seemed insurmountable.  We wondered if we would ever be able to move forward and regain some semblance of life.”

Carl continued, “Anyone to whom you mention the subject of suicide, knows someone who committed suicide; far less than six degrees of separation.”

In Carl’s latest book, Bader Field; How My Family Survived Suicide, (Published by Nightengale Press) he shares his emotional journey describing how he and his family survived the loss of his brother.  

He shared, “Having lived through and survived the horrific experience of my brother's suicide, I am awakened to the purpose in my life. I am paying it forward by illustrating the pain with which the surviving family members are imbued so perhaps it will draw someone back from that edge of desperation."

Carl’s advice for others, “If you know someone who is on that final edge of hopelessness, reach out to them.  Get them to talk to a family member, a friend, a rabbi, a priest, a doctor, a nurse, a bartender, even a stranger. There are so many avenues of help available, 911, contact organizations, suicide hotlines and the list goes on. Don't hesitate, second guess or wonder, just do it.  Better to be a little over zealous than wishing you would have acted sooner. You might just save a life. Remember, "Whoever saves a life saves the world entire...."

His closing words, “This is my way of making a difference in the lives of others.”

Click here to learn more about Carl David and his work.