A Prayerful Effort to Bring an End to Suicide in Idaho

My brother had a friend who took his own life. His mother woke up one morning, looked out the kitchen window, and saw him hanging from his old childhood swing set. The guy had been depressed over a young woman. He came from what people would have called a good family. One of his grandfathers was a first cousin of President Reagan.

Days later, it was believed the man had spray-painted a cry for help on the outside wall of a downtown tavern.

Last week, one of the fellows here at the office posted an explanation online as to why we don’t generally report suicides. It can spur others to do the same. Circumstances can offer exceptions. I was working in a newsroom 35 years ago when a man jumped off an interstate overpass during morning rush hour. It halted tens of thousands of cars for a couple of hours. That you can’t ignore, but for the most part, media leaves the dead forgotten.

One of our local churches believes prayer can help the wounded souls. That may appear quaint to many of our secular readers, but even if you don’t believe, how can it make matters worse?

Thursday, St. Edward Church has a Mass scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Participants will then head for the Twin Falls Visitor’s Center. At 7:00 p.m., there will be a procession across the Perrine Bridge and prayers for the sad, and those who took the plunge and their grieving families. Non-Catholics are welcome to join.

The church reminds people the suicide prevention hotline is 988.