Survivors Day To Be Held On Saturday, Nov. 19 in Hollidaysburg

International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day (Survivor Day or ISOSLD) is an event in which survivors of suicide loss come together to find connection, understanding, and hope through their shared experiences.

A local Survivor Day event will be held at the American Legion Social Hall (104 Dell Delight Legion Park, Hollidaysburg) on Saturday, Nov. 19 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is free to adult survivors, and lunch will be provided. Participants can register here by Nov. 14: hollidaysburg-pennsylvania.isosld.afsp.org

Please note that participants can come from Blair and surrounding counties, as the Blair County event is one of the few local Survivors Day being held this year.

Survivor Day was created by an act of Congress in 1999 and since then has been sponsored and supported by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Every year, hundreds of organized events are held throughout the U.S. and around the world.

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 know and love to suicide.

One survivor said, “Simply being in the same room as so many other survivors was incredibly helpful. The space felt very safe, and I felt like I could express any and all of the painful emotions that I was feeling. Everyone was so supportive and comforting.”

In addition, all gatherings include a screening of an AFSP-produced documentary for and about suicide loss survivors.

For those who are unable to attend a Survivor Day event in person, AFSP hosts a Survivor Day program online at afsp.org/SurvivorDay.

To learn more about the local International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day event, please contact the Blair County Suicide Prevention Task Force at blaircountysptf@gmail.com.