Welcome to the Sibling Survivors Site!

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The Sibling Survivors of Suicide Loss site aims to provide a safe place for anyone who has lost a sister or brother to suicide. It’s a place to share memories, discuss your feelings and experiences, and to share photos. It’s a place to connect with others who also miss their sister or brother.

The site was created in 2001 by Michelle Linn Gust. She passed the site on to the POS-FFOS Internet Community in November of 2014. It officially re-opened on January 4, 2015.

We invite you to explore the site and participate. We need you; help us make this site a safe and supportive place for other sibling survivors. You can participate by Creating a  Guest Post, sharing an Inspirational Thought or Message, or Writing a Letter to your Sibling. Please see those pages for more information.

Sibling Survivors is maintained by volunteers from the Parents of Suicides (POS) and Friends and Families of Suicides (FFOS) Internet Community and others. Learn more about these groups on the About Us page.

Big Brother

Guest Post

I no longer have a big brother. He’s the one who sang to me as a baby so I wouldn’t cry, You are my Sunshine. The one who took care of me while mom was working, made sure I was safe, fed, and most importantly, happy. The one who could always make me laugh, even on the saddest days. He even named me!A piece of me died with him that day. It physically feels like a piece of my own self is gone, just not there anymore.

The two of us have gone through so much together, side by side, holding each other up when we couldn’t stand alone.

People are blaming the traumatic brain injury he got 6 years prior to his suicide. How could it be? How could his wife not reach out to ANYONE and ask for help?

7 years today…..I miss you little brother

Guest Post
7 years ago. Seems like ages but at the same time seems just like yesterday. So much has happened since you decided to die. I drank so much and CW said he wished he could tell you that your choice is ruining the marriage. That was a shock to me to hear him say that. DW told me to stop drinking so now I have. You have no idea how much your decision has affected everyone in the family. Mom and Dad seem so old now. We should have been dealing with this together now its just me. We should have been talking and texting each other everyday but now there is no one. We should have grown old together but now there is no one. You left me an only child and it seems against nature. You have always been in my life except for the 2-1/2 years I was born before you and now the 7 years after. I still miss you with all my heart. I still ache. I push our childhood memories away because I dont want to think of what was. It just makes me miss you more. I hate September. DW says he missed you too. You were to be the Uncle and you just shoved that to the side. The cancer was treatable. You just never gave the Doctors a chance. I still wish you would have called me but I know why you didnt because I would have stopped you. I would have drove 100mph to get to you and stop you. You didnt want anyone to stop you. Your decision was made. I love you so much and miss you everyday. Sis

Thinking of You Brother

Guest Post
I woke up thinking of you today. With the help of my surviving siblings, I put together a collage of photo’s from your life and gave one to each member of our family. Mom really loved hers. It made her cry, but I know she loved it. The pictures I used were from different times in your life. The first picture ever taken of you in 1964. The last picture taken of you in 2024 at our brother’s poker game a few days before you passed. Mine is on the wall near my son’s memorial, and close to my recliner chair so I can see you both and talk to you. I’m looking at you as I write this.

Mom had a stroke a little while back. She survived and is now in a nursing home. Your sister-in-law and I will be moving back to my hometown next year to be closer to family and to spend as much time with mom before she passes.

Life is a pain at times. Yet, when I am outside walking the dog and the wind blows, I know you are there. When I am reeling in a Catfish at the lake, I believe you are there sitting beside me.

One of our older brothers had you cremated. He gave all of us a small Urn with your ashes.

One of your uncles has Cancer. The prognosis isn’t good.

All of us are now in our 60’s, and you would have been the last one to join that group this December. I became the youngest sibling when you passed.

The leaves are starting to fall from the trees. One of our childhood friends who lives further up north texted me the other day to let me know he is getting sick. If he or mom get there before I do, take care of them. Take care of our little sister. Take care of my son. Take care of yourself. Until we meet again.

To Chaos

Letters

Hey brother,

Today I am okay. It’s been 2 years & 10 months without you. Today I am okay. I’ve learned to feel your presence with me when I hear a new song, watch a funny movie, or meet a new friend. I still want to call you, but I know I can’t. Some days that gaping hole in my heart opens up and my eyes begin to flood; but today I am okay. Those new songs I hear that I know you would’ve loved I play them twice, and sing the lyrics you would’ve mimicked extra loud. Funny movies these days make me laugh twice as hard as I imagine sharing that moment with you in the room. Today I am okay. I eat hot Cheetos and Tostitos Pizzas when I’m missing you extra to feel closer with you. Today I am okay. It sucks when I am missing dad, I always want to call you, but end up missing you too; but today I am okay. There’s so many things in this world I want to share with you. I wish you would’ve knew that things would get better… I had to convince myself for so long that that was true for me too. Days change & I miss you always. Today I am okay. Last month maybe I wasn’t okay, next month who knows. Everyday is different, but today I am okay. I feel what I feel, and I feel each emotion so deeply. You changed my life forever and at every stage of life I am still affected by your absence; but today I am okay. I move differently because of you; numb is numb; and sensitivity is sensitivity. Sometimes my days are black and white, some days they are bright, and when I am missing you and lost myself, it’s all grey; but today I am okay. When you first passed and people said you’re at peace, I couldn’t understand! But today I am okay & think hey, maybe you are at peace. I find your birthday numbers often; they appear randomly. The time 3:25. Order numbers 325. Address to location I am going 325; my tips for the night 325, gas prices $3.25; license plates *325***. I know you’re with me. Keep making your presence known please, keep guiding me. Especially on days when I am not okay. XOXO FMC

My big brother was just 14 years old – why he go that way?

Guest Post

I am sharing this post on behalf of my little girl aged 6. She lost her brother on 14 July 24 .

Her brother Rippanpreet hung himself after he had taken lunch with us. Although he was angry his father (myself) objected of him watching too much TV and games all the day, we had no clue only after 2 hours he will take the extreme step .

Now that he has gone, she has started ignoring anything related to her brother, she even does not utter his name from her mouth, and even skip the picture if she accidentally comes across it. Doctor says it’s her way of dealing with trauma, and she is fine.

But I know she is struggling, as she is irritated all the time, angry on arbitrary things, and always demanding new toys.

Can you share your suggestions? I am too worried and confused about her.

Father (sukhraj)

My Brother, My First Best Friend

Guest Post
It’s been nearly 6 years since my brother decided to leave us. To leave us in a way we still to this day cannot understand. Since that fateful day I replay the days leading up to it. I question, I overthink and over analyse every small detail in my mind. I miss him terribly. We all do. My poor parents…
Recently I’ve become consumed with anger towards him which leads me into a spiral of guilt and emotion I haven’t felt before. I’m angry because I feel cheated. Cheated in a way where I feel like I’ve not only lost my only sibling but also our mum. She’s become withdrawn, she’s isolated herself and become volatile. She was always the life and soul of any social situation, now she hardly leaves her house. And I feel like I’ve lost her too.
I don’t want to be angry and feel this way. I just can’t shake it. I love my mum and dad terribly and wish things could be different .

In honor of Raymond Ysias Rodriguez

Guest Post
Today, tonight a year ago was my little brother’s last day alive… July 27th, 2023, I was woken up to a call at 9 am from our big sister that my brother hung himself. He used two ropes… no sign of struggle. No note…. I remember the instant feeling of despair. Our family isn’t the same without him. His gf told him he’s a deadbeat dad. And he wasn’t. It’s all just so ugly and unfair and messed up. There’s so much to it. He barely turned 24 June 3rd 2023. Now I’m awake and I can’t sleep because of the wide range of complications now that he’s gone. How will we prove to our little baby nephew his dad loved him? She’s already moving on and there’s so much hurt and a sense of betrayal. And I just wish I could die too. But I can’t. I have a daughter and a husband… I’m sick in my soul and nothing could make me feel better. His goofy faces and laughs. His sweet sensitive personality… he already felt like a failure for so many financial reasons. I remember him the last month looking so defeated all the time. His sadness, stress, and hopelessness came out in the form of anger because let’s face it, a man doesn’t like to feel weak or let people see him cry, so it’s easier to be angry. But an angry man is a depressed man. He lost so much weight. He withdrew from everyone. I wish we could have seen it happening. And I lived so far away…. I feel like I failed him. Because when he’d visit me and my husband I noticed the hope and the light and energy return to his eyes, like yeah, you know what your right. I can do this – it’s just baby steps. Then he’d go back home, to that environment…

My little brother, gone after schizophrenia

Guest Post
My brother Michael took his life after a 6 or 7 year battle with schizophrenia. I feel like I lost him twice, and I feel guilty for even thinking that. He is gone now for good. Sometimes in my head I scream “where are you?” I can’t fathom it. The pain sometimes feels unendurable. I am wracked with grief, guilt, regret, horror. I love you so much, Michael. I miss you.

The burden of guilt

Guest Post
I lost my younger brother who was like my own son and my very best friend less than a year ago to suicide. We had so many plans together and now I just feel so alone in this world.
He suffered from addiction and mental health and 4 weeks before he killed himself We fought and stopped talking. The burden of guilt is killing me. I loved and still love him down to my core. I don’t know how to go on.

For my little brother, John M.

Letters
It’s Queen. I’m so sorry. Im writing this letter in advance, it’s 26 June 2024. I’m sorry I left home when you were just about to turn 6 this August. It’s a miracle I made it to turn 19. Please reach out, don’t be too mad! I’ll be back one day, we can play again like old times. I love you and I miss you a lot. All the mean things they say about me aren’t true. I can explain everything.