Jamie's Law: Taking Action Against Suicide

This article by the West Virginia Gazette tells the story of the hard work and dedication of Michelle Toman, a West Virginian, who made it her mission to save lives by ending suicide after she lost her brother Jamie to suicide.

Toman proposed a bill, which she named after her brother, to State Senate that requires suicide-prevention programming in middle schools, high schools and colleges.

Suicide was the second-leading cause of death among West Virginians ages 10-24 in 2013. Toman did not have difficulty in getting lawmakers on board with the bill after explaining the importance of the bill and how many kids out there are hurting, and something needs to be done about it.

What I really appreciated about this article was the sensitivity the author took in their word choice. It steered clear of trigger words like “committed suicide,” which can often be associated with the idea that the person who took their life committed a crime. Instead, they used terms like “killed himself,” “died by suicide” and the like, which are much more considerate to the victim and their loved ones.

The biggest take-away from this article was that the story itself didn’t focus on the heartache or devastation of suicide. It didn't dwell on the details of how Toman's brother took his life, nor did it include speculations as to why he may have done so. It focused, rather, on how people are moving forward after such a traumatic event. They didn't spend time focusing on the emotional grieving process, but illustrated how his loved ones showed resilience and strength after the fact. It tells the story of the importance of combating suicide and the steps people take in order to do so.  It serves as an example of hope and recovery and sheds light on the fact that there is life after grieving.