{"id":257442,"date":"2025-09-27T00:58:10","date_gmt":"2025-09-27T00:58:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/257442\/"},"modified":"2025-09-27T00:58:10","modified_gmt":"2025-09-27T00:58:10","slug":"after-losing-their-daughter-to-suicide-san-antonio-parents-speak-up-to-raise-awareness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/257442\/","title":{"rendered":"After losing their daughter to suicide, San Antonio parents speak up to raise awareness"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAN ANTONIO<\/strong> \u2013 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports suicide is the second leading cause of death among those age 10\u201334. For preteens (age 8\u201312), suicide deaths have been increasing at about 8% per year from 2008 to 2022. <\/p>\n

Moses Verbena lost his 18-year-old daughter Sydney to suicide. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat horrible day was August 23, 2021,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe had such a big heart,\u201d he said through tears. <\/p>\n

He said Sydney was known for helping others with their own depression. <\/p>\n

\u201cShe was going through mental illness for years. She was going through a lot of a lot of pain and wasn\u2019t open to talking with us,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

Moses and Monica Verbena, who is Moses\u2019 wife and Sydney\u2019s stepmother, took their grief to ABC of Southwest Texas<\/a> following Sydney\u2019s death.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe guilt of \u2018Why didn\u2019t we do more?\u2019 And that comes with a negative stigma, and that\u2019s one of the parts that people don\u2019t always talk about when they encounter something like this,\u201d Monica Verbena said.<\/p>\n

ABC of Southwest Texas is where they found compassion, support groups and professional help all for free. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve created a community of trusted funeral homes and counseling agencies to support the family, and that way we will pay for the counseling, and we also do support groups as well,\u201d said Desiree Holmes, the ABC of Southwest Texas Bereavement Director.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe numbers are not decreasing. Just this month we\u2019ve supported several families that have lost their teenager to suicide,\u201d Holmes said. <\/p>\n

Moses Verbena wants those other families to know they\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust talking with us, who are going through the similar thing, it gives you strength and allows you to help others when that happens,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

That\u2019s what the Verbenas are doing now. They have found the strength and bravery to be honest and open in hopes of educating other parents and preventing more suicides. <\/p>\n

They are doing that in part by helping other families learn the signs. <\/p>\n

\u201cShe would close off. She would not speak sometimes or when she was with us sometimes, she just wanted to sleep. So those are signs, but it\u2019s also very difficult to distinguish if that is a teenage thing,\u201d Monica Verbena said. <\/p>\n

Holmes said other red flags include \u201cthat isolation factor, the depressive moods, the child or the teenager wanting to sell their belongings or, you know, a drastic change in their health.\u201d<\/p>\n

They all encourage parents to push through the discomfort of talking to kids about their depression. <\/p>\n

\u201cI have a teenager myself; she\u2019s 14 years old,\u201d Holmes said. \u201cSometimes I have to just get in the middle and say, \u2018Hey, can we discuss this?\u2019 Even if it\u2019s playing video games with a teenager or taking them out for a walk or grabbing a bite to eat. Don\u2019t be afraid to ask, \u2018Have you ever felt this way?\u2019 Especially now with social media.\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n

Moses Verbena said even if the child\u2019s response isn\u2019t immediate, keep trying. <\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted Sydney to know, and I want all kids to know that it\u2019s OK to not be OK. We all make mistakes and as long as they\u2019re working to get better, they\u2019re going to make it,\u201d Moses Verbena said. <\/p>\n

Anyone needing emotional support or dealing with thoughts of suicide can contact the <\/b>988 Lifeline<\/b><\/a> by calling or texting 988. There is also a <\/b>chat option<\/b><\/a> available 24\/7. <\/b><\/p>\n

Families needing bereavement services for a child lost to suicide can contact <\/b>ABC of Southwest Texas<\/b><\/a> to find support, free counseling and support groups. <\/b><\/p>\n

Read also:<\/b><\/p>\n