At one of my DC's primary schools there was a very pretty and glamourous mum of three boys. She had a best friend mum at the school and they were inseparable. No-one really got to know them because they were always so busy together. But a few of the mums knew the pretty one on a casual basis to chat to in the High Street etc.
She seemed to have quite a glamorous lifestyle, then her husband left her for another woman. He moved in straight away with her and she was pregnant. The glamorous mum couldn't seem to cope with the shock of having her life literally ripped from her. I don't know the circumstances but somehow she end up living in a flat above a shop in the High Street. That was where she was found by her children after committing suicide.
The ripple effect of shock of people feeling guilty they didn't do anything (even though they didn't know her) was quite staggering. A friend of mine was one of the ones who would chat to her on a casual basis. She said the day before the suicide she'd seen this mum in a card shop. She appeared to be looking over to her to catch her eye for a chat. My friend was busy running around and naturally thought she'd see her again and catch up with her for a chat then. My friend had the "what ifs" running through her mind. Could she have done anything that would have prevented it etc?
That guilt felt by the people around the person that committed suicide is palpable. It's not something anyone would wish on their own children. You know when you are not thinking straight and in the grips of depression as you are able to convince yourself people would be better off without you. That is never the case. In your right mind you know that.
The eldest son of this mum I mentioned has the same warm skin tone, light green eyes and soft blonde hair. It is painful for a stranger to see him and know that the little boy is being strong for his two younger brothers. That boy will always think he could have done something and didn't and blame himself.
We all know that if you reach out to tell people how you really feel, people will do anything for you. Just like this mum at the school. No-one got the chance to help her. Let people help you - strangers would help you rather than let you think that you've found the solution to how you're feeling.