The journey after losing someone to suicide can feel impossibly isolating. In the midst of your grief, you may wonder if anyone truly understands the complex emotions you carry: the profound sadness mixed with confusion, the questions that cycle endlessly through your mind, the guilt that surfaces even when you know rationally it wasn’t your fault. This sense of isolation can make healing feel even more distant. Yet there is a day dedicated specifically to breaking through that isolation, to bringing survivors together in shared understanding and compassion.
A Day Created for You
International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day, held annually on the Saturday before Thanksgiving, offers a sanctuary where your experience is not only understood but honored. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) organizes hundreds of these gatherings across the country and around the world, creating spaces where survivors can connect, share, and find hope together.
This year, International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day falls on Saturday, November 22, 2025. Whether you lost someone recently or years ago, whether this would be your first time attending such an event or you’ve gone before, there is likely a gathering near you. You can find events in your area at: https://afsp.org/international-survivors-of-suicide-loss-day/
What to Expect
While each event has its own unique elements, most International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day gatherings share common features designed to provide comfort, connection, and understanding. Here’s what you might experience:
A Welcoming Atmosphere
When you walk into an AFSP event, you’ll find yourself surrounded by others who share a bond that, while painful, creates profound understanding. There is something powerful about being in a room where you don’t have to explain the weight you carry or the ways your loss has changed you. The knowing looks, the gentle nods of recognition, the tears that flow freely without judgment create an atmosphere of acceptance that can be deeply healing.
Honor Beads
Many events offer honor beads, colored beads that acknowledge the loss you’ve experienced. White beads represent the loss of a child, red for a spouse or partner, gold for a parent, orange for a sibling, purple for a relative or friend, and silver for a first responder or military member. These beads serve a beautiful dual purpose: they honor your specific loss while also helping you identify and connect with others at the event who have experienced a similar loss.
Shared Stories and Resources
Most events include a keynote speaker or presentation, often featuring an AFSP documentary about suicide loss that showcases real survivors sharing their experiences and healing journeys. You’ll find that hearing others’ stories can help you feel less alone in your own journey.
Breakout Sessions
Many gatherings organize breakout sessions by loss relationship, allowing you to connect with others who lost a partner, parent, sibling, child, or friend. These smaller group settings provide space for more intimate sharing and connection with those who understand the particular dynamics of your relationship. There is no requirement to share your story unless you feel moved to do so.
Memorial Tributes
Events often include memorial slideshows or other ways to honor those we’ve lost. Some allow you to submit photos in advance to be included in these touching tributes.
Connection Opportunities
Throughout the day, meals and informal moments offer additional opportunities to form connections that often extend beyond this single day. Some people find it grounding to attend with a supportive friend or family member who understands their loss, while others prefer to come alone to focus inward. Both choices are valid.
An Example: The Madison, New Jersey Event
To give you a sense of what these events can look like, I want to share details about the gathering we’ll be hosting at Grace Episcopal Church in Madison, New Jersey. This will be our fourth year hosting this event, and last year more than 100 suicide loss survivors attended, making it the largest Survivor Day event in New Jersey. The strong turnout speaks to the deep need for this kind of supportive community.
Our day includes:
- Registration and breakfast starting at 9:00am
- A keynote speaker, Dr. Megan Vosheski, followed by Q&A
- The AFSP documentary “Family Journeys: Healing and Hope after a Suicide” with a panel discussion
- Lunch
- Breakout groups organized by relationship to the person you lost
- A closing session
The entire event is free, with breakfast and lunch provided. If you’re in the New Jersey area, we’d love to have you join us. You can register at: https://madison-new-jersey.isosld.afsp.org/
Your event may look different, but the heart of it remains the same: creating space for healing, connection, and hope.
Why Attend
The act of attending International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day is itself a form of healing. By showing up, you are acknowledging your loss rather than hiding from it. You are choosing connection over isolation. You are taking an active step in your journey rather than waiting passively for time alone to ease your pain. Each time you reach out, each time you allow yourself to be vulnerable in the presence of others who understand, you are building resilience and creating pathways toward a life that can hold both your grief and your continued growth.
There is hope in this gathering, hope that might feel hard to access in your daily life. While the pain of your loss will always be part of your story, it does not have to define your entire future. The people you’ll meet at these events carry living proof that healing is possible, that joy can return, that you can learn to hold your memories with tenderness rather than only pain.
Taking the First Step
I understand that the thought of attending might feel overwhelming. You might worry about being emotional in front of strangers, or wonder if you’re “ready” for this kind of event. But here’s what I’ve learned through my own journey and through facilitating our support group: there is no perfect time to reach out for support. If you’re considering going, that whisper of possibility is worth listening to.
Your presence matters, both for your own healing and for others who will draw strength from your courage to show up. You are worthy of support, you are worthy of healing, and you are not alone.
Find an event near you:
https://afsp.org/international-survivors-of-suicide-loss-day/
International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day is a gentle promise that connection is possible, that understanding exists, and that healing, while it takes time and courage, is within reach.
We hope to see you there.
Other Posts You May Also Find Helpful
- Finding Your People: The Healing Power of Support Groups – Understanding why connecting with other suicide loss survivors is so powerful, and how to find ongoing support groups in your area.
- Finding Your Way Through the Holidays: A Guide for Survivors – Managing Thanksgiving weekend and other holidays after suicide loss with compassion and practical strategies.
- Navigating Holiday Greetings After Suicide Loss – Understanding why “Happy Thanksgiving” can feel painful and how to get through the holiday weekend that surrounds Survivor Day.
- When the World Keeps Turning: Navigating Social Connections – Understanding the isolation that makes events like Survivor Day so valuable for breaking through loneliness.
- What Does Healing Look Like – Understanding the healing journey and recognizing that attending events like Survivor Day is an active step toward healing.
- Ritual and Remembrance – Creating meaningful rituals to honor those we’ve lost, including participating in memorial tributes at Survivor Day events.
Leave a Reply