Losing a Child to Suicide: A Mother’s Story of Grief, Love, and Mental Health Awareness

When Patty Kajawa lost her teenage son Jack to suicide, her world changed forever. Jack was funny, kind, and deeply loved—but like so many living with depression, he hid his pain behind a mask.

In this episode, Patty shares her family’s story with raw honesty, reflecting on what she wishes parents, teachers, and teens knew about depression and suicide. From the importance of asking direct questions—like “Are you safe?”—to why honesty in therapy is critical, her message blends heartbreak with hope.

Patty also offers a powerful reminder that suicide prevention is not only about awareness campaigns, but about daily kindness, listening without judgment, and making sure our loved ones know they belong.

Primary Topics Covered:

• A mother’s experience losing her son to suicide at 18
• Why depression often looks different than stereotypes suggest
• The importance of honest conversations about suicidal thoughts
• The role of kindness and belonging in suicide prevention
• What Patty wishes more parents, teens, and providers understood
• Why awareness alone isn’t enough to save lives
• The importance of telling the truth in therapy and psychiatry
• Holding onto hope and honoring lost loved ones

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction and Suicide Prevention Awareness Month context
 01:15 - Radical belonging and prevention: reflections from Jess Stoneman-Raney
 02:54 - Patty Kajawa introduces her kindness challenge for Jack’s birthday
 04:02 - Small acts of kindness as suicide prevention
 05:27 - Revisiting Patty’s 2018 interview about her son Jack
 06:38 - Dr. Barbara Moser on the complexity of suicide prevention
 09:28 - Patty shares Jack’s story and family struggles
 11:24 - Jack’s humor, kindness, and hidden depression
 12:31 - Why teens may not tell the truth in therapy
 13:55 - The reality of depression masking and stereotypes
 15:09 - Patty and Jack’s phrase: “Are you safe?”
16:05 - Mental health days and coping tools for kids
17:12 - Wrestling with guilt and the “what ifs”
18:26 - Patty’s faith and her commitment to share Jack’s story
19:08 - Updated language guidelines around suicide
19:31 - Final reflections and closing

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