Speak OUT: losing a loved one to suicide

By Kevin Voeltz

I never imagined I’d be sharing my grief about the loss of my best friend, William Pritchard, to suicide. On January 29, at the age of 33, William took his own life.

I got William’s last voicemail as I was driving to pick up my boyfriend. William’s message was a few days old, and in it he said we had both been busy but he hoped we could see each other soon. The final words were, “I love you buddy.” Seconds later I got a text from a mutual friend that William took his life.

William was my best friend, the brother I never had and my family. He was a great man whose compassion and love for others was truly outstanding. He will unfortunately never know how many lives he touched.

The burning question was “why?” It can never be answered. There were no goodbyes, no note, no explanation. I’d have a better understanding – and closure – if William had died in an accident or from some other cause. It’s hard to comprehend that the one person who I experienced so much with in life, is no longer here.

William and I were in the same boat. We had both recently lost our jobs and were struggling to find new ones. But we also both decided we were going to start our college educations, enrolled and focused on our new priorities.

In the past few years, suicide among LGBT youth has been front-and-center in the media. The “It Gets Better Project” promotes to LGBT youth, most whom are bullied, a message that life gets better. But what has not been in the news or media is suicide among adults and LGBT adults.

Suicide had been on the rise since 2005. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, a person dies by suicide every 15 minutes in the United States, claiming more than 34,000 lives each year. It is estimated that an attempt is made every minute; close to 1,000,000 people attempt suicide annually.

As family and friends prepared for William’s memorial, we discovered a great bond. Some of the people William touched had never crossed paths until now. It was like adding a new family – William’s friends and I were a support system for his family and each other. We were all able to share laughs, cries and fond memories of our beloved friend.

In memory of William we are teaming with the Metro Crisis Center as well as putting on a benefit called “We Care, Celebrate your Life,” to raise awareness on Suicide Prevention and Support.
The benefit will take place at 5 p.m. on Saturday March 31, at Tracks, 3500 Walnut Street, with a suggested $5 donation at the door. Cynister Cybil will play before performances by Kim Robards Dance, Ginger Sexton, Bootzy Edward Collynz and many more. Proceeds will be given to the Metro Crisis Center and the William Pritchard Memorial Fund.

Suicide can be difficult to predict, and I’m still filled with questions. Why didn’t William reach out? Could I have made a better effort? Were there any signs we missed?

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides suicide warning signs including talking about being a burden to others, showing rage or talking about seeking revenge, or increasing the
use of alcohol or drugs.

See the full list at The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

For more info about the March 31 event contact Kevin Voeltz, kdvoeltz@gmail.com.