More than 41,000 Americans are lost to suicide each year, leaving behind grieving families and friends. Of the 10 leading causes of death, suicide is the only one that continues to increase, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

The International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day is one day a year when people affected by suicide loss gather in their local communities to find comfort and gain understanding as they share stories of healing and hope.  The loss of a loved one from suicide is painful and is a challenging grief journey.

For many loss survivors, attending a Survivor Day event is an opportunity to discover that they are not alone in their experience of losing someone they knew and loved to suicide. This is the second year a local event will be held in Albert Lea. The event will be at 1 p.m. Nov. 21 at Bonnerup Funeral Services, 2210 E. Main St. There is no charge for this event. The program will include a local panel of survivors and a viewing of “Family Journeys: Healing and Hope after Suicide,” a new documentary produced by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention that traces the ripple effect of a suicide through families and communities and explores the challenges individuals face as they cope and heal.

The public is invited to join with a community of suicide loss survivors to find comfort and gain understanding to share stories of loss, healing and hope. To learn more about the International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day, visit survivorday.org. To ask about the local event or to register call Judy Popp-Anderson at 507-373-2461 or e-mail judy@bonnerupfuneralservice.com.