Music To Die For - Adam’s Lived Experience

This deeply personal piece was written by Adam, a client of Suicide&Co, as he navigates the loss of his sister, Naomi. In his grief journey, Adam discovered Music to Die For—a project that invites people to share the songs that connect them to someone they have lost. In this piece Adam details his experience which is a testament to the power of music, storytelling, and community in finding meaning after loss.

Some time ago, I came across an initiative at its infancy called "Music to die for", which was the brainchild of two kind and generous souls Dr Hazel Harrison and Phillipa Anders, supported by Britten Pears Arts following, a commission for a Creative Health Residency.
Whilst in the throes of the initial grief from the untimely death by suicide of my darling sister Naomi in September 2024, I was searching for answers and found a community of people touched by loss and traumatic grief. As I delved deeper I was met with kindness and compassion by so many people and became determined to ensure her loss was for something - turning that utter emptiness into something meaningful for others.

Through sharing your story, they aim to honour those connections, keep memories alive, and provide comfort to others, helping them feel less alone in their own journeys.

At its heart, Music To Die For asks just one question: ‘TELL US ABOUT A PIECE OF MUSIC AND HOW IT CONNECTS YOU TO SOMEONE YOU HAVE LOST.’

I encourage you to share your most vulnerable feelings and emotions around a piece of music that connects to a person you have lost. My experience of this has been profound, meaningful and cathartic - putting space between the day it happened and the changes in all the lives that this has impacted. Only reading back what I have written nearly 6 months after preparing and reading her eulogy at the funeral, shows me what progress towards acceptance can feel and look like.

Suicide & Co are a remarkable charity that can support you and your family in times of loss by suicide, nothing can prepare you for this but by meeting them with an open heart you can find a way closer to healing your broken heart.