Carrie Hugus was only thirteen when she found her father in the garage after he gassed himself. Instantly, she asked herself why she hadn't known to stop him, why did it happen to her father, and what could she have done differently? For years she lived with guilt, shame, confusion and an obsession with why. In "Crossing 13: Memoir of a Father's Suicide," Carrie relives the experience, writing in the voice of her thirteen-year old self, but also with the perspective of an adult looking back. As she takes readers through her journey of grief, she explores how children grieve and the effects of suicide upon family members. Hugus explores the importance of helping children to grieve and cope with their losses. Hugus says of her memoir, "My hope is that by sharing my story with other young adults written in their voice, other child survivors may be more open to express their own grief, work through their pain, resulting in less risk for future life problems and/or suicide." Hugus's message will resonate with readers whether or not they have lost a loved one; it will provide an example of hope for those struggling over the results of a suicide.

Crossing 13: Memoir of a Father’s Suicide