Every September, the world turns its attention to Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month. Informational posts fill social media feeds, hotlines are shared, and important conversations about mental health take center stage.

For many, September is a gentle reminder to check in on loved ones. But for those of us who have lost someone to suicide, September holds a very different, dual-lens reality. It isn’t just an awareness month on a calendar; it is a quiet, heavy landing pad for memory, grief, and the stark reality of what was lost.

For me, September will always mark the space where everything shifted. On September 21, 2018 - just one week before his 60th birthday - I lost my dad to suicide.