On March 4th, 2021, I awoke in the middle of the night to find Kyle missing.  I went looking for him and found him in his car with a shotgun wound to the head.  After a few minutes of sheer panic, I called  911 for assistance.  The police arrived and after several hours in a patrol car talking to one of the officers, they completed their search of the property and the house.  I was given a business card from the detective and allowed back into the house and everyone left.

Looking back at the events of that night I am pushing for some changes in law, based on the following factors. The car he died in was left on my property, needing a HazMat cleanup to be moved.   This was pure torture to look at over the next several days, for me as well as neighbors and family members.  In times of grief, it takes a long time to think clearly and begin to figure out who to call and how to handle such issues.

I also am concerned with the fact that they just left me here alone, with no resources. I was never asked if I had anyone to call if I fell into a deep depression, nothing.  Whether someone experiences a loss at home due to a tragic accident, suicide, or even natural causes, they should not just be left with something.  Not everyone has family or friends nearby to call for support.  Considering grief victims are twice as likely to commit suicide soon after losing a loved one or witnessing a tragic event, this is unacceptable to leave them on their own with no resources.

There are resources available in most communities across the United States to help people deal with grief and the issues that arise from sudden loss or suicide.  I am asking that each county across the United States be required to compile a list of these resources.  This pamphlet can then be handed to grief victims by the police or coroner.  This simple tool will help those in their darkest hour find the help they need, and potentially prevent further loss of life.  

Would you join me in petitioning Congress to pass a bill requiring each county to produce a pamphlet with the resources available in their area to hand to those whom the police deal with in these tragic events?  Resources such as grief counselors, emergency mental health hospitals and clinics, professional cleanup teams in the event there is bio cleanup required, clergy numbers for all denominations in the area, etc., could be what saves the life of someone left along in their darkest hour.  The cost of doing such a thing would be minimal.  

Thank you for supporting me in this fight.  Losing Kyle and finding him in the condition he was in has greatly impacted my life.  I now suffer from PTSD flashbacks and panic attacks, as well as periods where I was trapped in suicidal thinking.  It was a hard road to search for the resources I needed.  I am determined to make sure that others do not have to deal with some of the issues I have on my own. I would much rather still have him in our lives, but I am determined to give Kyle's death some kind of meaningful purpose.