According to the World Health Organization, more than 800,000 people take their own lives each year.
About 132 die by suicide each day here in in the U.S.
As many as 25 times as many people attempt suicide. And some who fail in the first attempt will ultimately succeed.
It's a tragedy. Because suicide not only ends one life, it has a permanent effect of the lives of countless other left behind to deal with the loss, the pain, the unanswered questions.
The most common of those questions is likely "what could I have done to prevent this?"
Today is World Suicide Prevention Day. Since 2003 the International Society for Suicide Prevention and WHO have used this day to educate the public about what they can do to help save a life on the brink.
You can find out more at their website, https://www.iasp.info.
Suicide is a terrible thing. Anything that can be done to help those who may be close to the edge is worth the effort.
Today is the day to learn what you can do.