Chasing Death: Losing a Child to Suicide

Angela Hickman

Chasing Death: Losing a child to suicide is a raw, heart-wrenching, inspirational account of the effects of suicide on the families of those left behind, particularly when the individual who has been lost was a young - a child: son, daughter, brother, sister etc. In writing her very personal account, spanning 7 years of feeling an indescribable loss, Jan crosses the bridge on taboo subjects surrounding what the experts say you should or shouldn’t do and feel in grief. This book reaches the reader on many levels, brings an infinite web of support for those who have experienced similar tragedies and brings questions of the soul to the surface for everyone, including those who have not been touched by the effects of suicide. Jan stares pain, death and grief in the face and demands answers from them whilst at the same time bringing humour, hope and faith through her words to the reader.

Stacey Ingram

I have a short attention span, so rarely do I come across a book that I have difficulty putting down after a brief period of reading. This book, however, captured my attention from the very first page and I did not want to stop reading. The author has not only attempted to tackle a very difficult and emotional topic, but she has channelled her own grief into what I can only describe as an incredible piece of writing. As I read the book I laughed and I sobbed many times, but it also made me think about certain issues a lot more deeply and has made me realise the enormous importance of communicating with my children. It has definitely made me more aware that suicide is not confined to certain sectors of society, but can happen to anyone, anywhere and at any time. I have two children and one of my biggest fears has always been losing one of them, a fear with which I am certain all parents can identify. I am not certain that I would be able to carry on if something ever happened to one of them, so I have even more respect for the author in having pulled herself from the depths of her grief to produce something so positive, so helpful and so touching. The author hasn’t just covered the suicide of her own son and the range of emotions and situations that she had to face, but has included a plethora of experiences from families around the world, all in different family set-ups. She has included experiences from grandparents, siblings, stepparents and so on, so that no one within the extended family has been forgotten. She has also raised topics that I would never even have considered, such as the way in which a bereaved parent reacts to physical contact after the loss, dealing with the insensitive things that people do and say and a really uplifting chapter on life after death. It has certainly made me re-think the way in which I will respond to anyone who has suffered a bereavement and I hope that it has taught me to say something more appropriate. I will be reading the book again and have recommended it to all the parents that I know.