Saving Digital Footprints After a Suicide Loss

Act Now Before These Memories Disappear

Just like the waves will wash away your footprints on the beach, you should consider long term storage of the digital memories left behind by your loved one so that they don’t get taken away from you.

Preserving Voicemail Messages

When you lose someone to suicide you may want to save voicemail messages they have left for you or maybe just save their outgoing message.  There are several ways you can do this:

• If you want to record their outgoing message before their voicemail service is turned off, you can use a free service found at https://vmsave.petekeen.net/

• There are also paid commercial services that will do it for you, like https://www.voicemailsforever.com/

Downloading Social Media Content

If you still have access to the person you lost’s Facebook account, you can also download everything they posted or shared including photos by logging into their account and going to https://accountscenter.facebook.com/info_and_permissions  and click on “Download your information.”

Backing Up Your Precious Memories

One strong bit of advice, please back up your photos, videos and audio files of your loved one somewhere secure!  If your hard disk of your PC crashes, you may lose some of those memories.  You can always sign up for a free account with Google https://accounts.google.com/SignUp?hl=en  and then use their free cloud Drive service with up to 15Gb free.  https://www.google.com/intl/en/drive/ .  You also get unlimited photo storage on their Photo service https://www.google.com/photos/about/ 

Managing Online Accounts: Memorialization vs. Deletion

Survivors should also consider the online digital footprint left behind by their loved one after their suicide.  There are numerous ways to deal with their various accounts ranging from having them deleted to memorializing them.  Be advised that if you do not act first, a friend could potentially end up having an account memorialized without your knowledge or consent.  There are different rules and consequences for each service.

Here are some examples of what you can do with some popular online sites:

Facebook:  Memorialization or Deletion

Google:  Access or delete an account

Twitter:  Deletion

Linkedin: Deletion

List of 160 additional online account for Access or Deletion

Accessing Password-Protected Devices

If you do not know the password to the person you lost’s laptop or computer, there are a number of tools and techniques  that can allow access to the data on the machine.  There are specialized password cracking tools that can provide access to most personal computers.  Ask other family members or friends if they know the person you lost’s passwords.  There are also specialists available online to do this for you.  Be careful, some systems wipe the data if you attempt too many passwords.  Write down a list of potential passwords before you begin so you prioritize them.

Other Posts You May Also Find Helpful:

• Photographs After a Suicide Loss – Complements the digital footprint discussion by exploring the importance of collecting, preserving, and eventually finding comfort in photographs of the person you lost.
• Understanding Suicide Notes: A Guide for Loss Survivors – Like digital messages and voicemails, suicide notes represent precious final communications that survivors hold onto as they search for understanding and connection.
• Ritual and Remembrance – Explores how preserved digital memories—voicemails, messages, photos—can be incorporated into meaningful rituals that honor and remember your loved one.
• Life After Loss: Honoring Our Stories and Our Loved Ones – Addresses how preserving digital footprints is part of the larger journey of honoring the person you lost and keeping their memory alive in meaningful ways.