Andy’s Story: When a friend dies by suicide
Andy’s friend Marc took his own life in May 2021. As part of World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th, Andy shares his story with us.
My name is Andy. In May 2021 one of my closest friends took his own life after struggles with mental health. Marc was someone that was always open to talking about mental health, often the first point of contact for advice and help, he was someone who genuinely cared and went the extra mile for everyone he met. Loved by many, it was a hard and sudden loss.
Losing Marc had a profound impact on me. I really didn’t know what to think at the time and would definitely say that grief didn’t hit me straight away. It was only as my family and friends noticed that I wasn’t myself that they then helped me get support.
Journeying with grief
It took me a long time to process what had happened to Marc, and it took me to tough place in my life with a lot of self-doubt and helplessness. For the most part, I tried to hide it, bury the feelings deep but eventually it became too much. With the help of family and friends, and perhaps most importantly, grief support, I felt like I was coming out of the other side. Mental health still has such a stigma attached to it, especially for men often preventing us from talking about it, openly.
Processing the loss of Marc took time, and lots of it. If I’m being honest, I’m probably still not over it but am in place where I can talk openly about it. Talking openly about how it made me feel helped me accept what had happened begin the journey of moving forward.
Helping other bereaved people
I was fortunate enough to be able to pay for counselling to help with my grief, but not everyone can. Cruse offers help for everyone bereaved through various services. Now, through fundraising, I plan to give back and carry his memory and legacy in all that I do and every penny I raise will go to Cruse, to help them to continue to be there for bereaved people.
You’re not alone
Losing someone you love can be incredibly difficult. If you or someone you know if struggling with grief you can find lots of helpful information on our website along with details on how to get in touch and talk to someone who understands.