I KNOW

. It is not going to happen you . I'll never know anyone who would do that So and so is a loser . Nothing can be that bad Well, let me tell you - I thought most of those things before my Marine Sgt. and Sheriff Deputy son took his life due to a failed relationship. It is the worst pain ever and my passion now is to do everything in my power to prevent future suicides. Instead of sweeping it under the table let's ban together and help SAVE those who are hurting. Chatting with one of Matt's Marine bros last night I found he, also, is trying to STOP suicide in his area. Several Vets are working together reaching out and helping those, or finding help for suicidal, PTSD veterans and first responders in particular. I am so proud of him. Please help us by reaching out to those you know are hurting. In my book, "Matt's Last Call: Surviving Our Protectors" I go over the Stigma of Suicide, grief, life will never be the same and more. It's available on my website, Amazon.com or you can contact me for a personalized copy. Let's change our attitudes about suicide and help rather than condemn. It cuts me to the core when someone attacks me for what my son did. My pain will NEVER go away but with God's help I stand strong today and more committed than ever not only to aid in suicide prevention but to work with survivors needing support.

Opportunity

A high school classmate recently contacted me and wanted me to come to Klamath Falls, Oregon to share my story, "Matt's Last Call: Surviving Our Protectors," and to talk about suicide prevention, grief and death. I will be headed for Oregon next week for three different events with three different presentations. I love sharing my story with others in hopes that I might save a life. God has provided me with the passion and I am a good listener for those who need to talk. It is my hope that through these presentations those in attendance will be able to use the tools to help those in their sphere of influence.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

For our law enforcement personnel and first responders suicides go on day after day. The pain is too great and we are a step too late. My heart breaks for the one who recently took his life - when he cries out for help, but nobody is listening. One minute here, the next gone, because no one heard his cry.

So many of us are working toward stopping suicide while others look at victims as being weak and the issue of suicide either too difficult to talk about or something impossible to stop. Every one of us needs to CHANGE our attitudes and guide those who are hurting to those who can HELP them, and in the process save their jobs.

Contact: SAFE CALL NOW - Sean Riley, Executive Director, 206-459-3020
              National Police Suicide Foundation, Robert Douglas, Executive Director, 1-866-276-4615
             
OR speakers: The Pain Behind the Badge, Clarke and Tracie Paris, 702-573-4263
                       Cops Alive and The Law Enforcement Suicide Institute, John Marx, Executive              Director - 303-940-0411
                        Matt's Last Call: Surviving Our Protectors, Julie Zielinski, Author, speaker and survivor, http://matt'slastcall.tateauthor.com
Also, Sean Riley and Robert Douglas are speakers

Compassion for Survivors

Recently, I spent time with my cousin in Arizona. She was telling me about her trip to Italy with her fiancé. They met a couple and spent most of their time with them. They returned home and kept in contact with them since they seemed to have a lot in common. Two weeks after they returned home the couples son/stepson took his life. My cousin shared a little bit about the young man. He had had a troubled life, went in the military and was trying to get his life together. The stepmother was distraught since she had become very fond of her stepson. This couple had a trip to Hawaii planned with some good friends. Shortly before the trip, their friends backed out indicating the grieving couple needed time alone to recover. This hurt the couple to the core. At that time in their lives they needed their friends' support and understanding. As you can imagine, the focus of the vacation turned inward to nothing but grief. For most people, there is nothing worse than being alone during times of tragedy. We need friends not only to grieve with but to engage in normal living. Even worse, those "friends" seemed to want nothing to do with the couple upon their return from Hawaii. Matt's Last Call: Surviving Our Protectors, written to save lives. It is about my son, an athlete, SGT. in the United States Marine Corps and a Chelan County Sheriff Deputy who took his life due to a failed relationship. It is a Biography & Autobiography, Law Enforcement, Self-help/ Death, Grief, Bereavement. It can be purchased on my website, http://mattcutshort.tateauthor. It is my hope that you show compassion for survivors of suicide or other tragedy--you may be their only path back to the land of the living.

Suicide Prevention

I just returned from Shelton, WA and the Mason County Suicide Prevention Training hosted by Sheriff Casey Salisbury. Bob Douglas, executive director and founder of the National Police Suicide Foundation was the main speaker. He gave me the opportunity to speak before a group of law enforcement officers concerning my book, Matt's Last Call: Surviving Our Protectors." It was a great opportunity for me since law enforcement, first responders and the military are my passion on the subject of suicide. It was a large group of men and women, very friendly and easy to talk with. In fact, I met a man who was stationed at Bangor Naval Base the same time as Matt. He wasn't sure if he had met Matt but thought he recognized the name. It was so fun meeting everyone. Sheriff Salisbury was like my new best friend; we had lunch together and  he kept saying how he knew he had met me but couldn't figure out where. It turned out to be the Law Enforcement Academy graduation in Burien. A friendship developed with his beautiful mother as well. I also met three officers from Salem, Oregon. Great ladies. One I had met several weeks earlier on the phone. This training was to teach this law enforcement  officers how to recognize those contemplating suicide and to help them. It was pro-active training about early warning signs, how to communicate with a suicidal officer, and the issues and responsibilities of officers and agencies when a suicide occurs.Of course, my area was as a survivor and how to break the Blue Wall of Silence. As a survivor I do not want anyone to go through what I live on a daily basis. Suicide affects so many people who are left behind: mother, father, siblings, nieces, nephews, grandparents, law enforcement families, military families, church family, friends and the list goes on and on........We all need to work together to stop suicide and help one another.

Friends Provided by God

Throughout the journey of dealing with the death of my son, Matt, I have met many concerned Law Enforcement Officers. My name is getting out so these people contact me in the aftermath of suicides and the survivors who are hurting. I just recently met a law enforcement officer who got in touch with me concerning someone who had lost a loved one to suicide. She is fantastic and I am helping her help someone who isn't quite ready to call me. It is amazing how our God works and the new friends I have met through my tragedy. If we don't talk about suicide then the Stigma of Suicide will remain. With God's help and with the help of my new law enforcement friends I think we can help turn the tide and provide hope for those contemplating this act.

Traumas of Law Enforcement Training

I have the opportunity to attend Traumas of Law Enforcement Training for a three day seminar at SeaTac. It is put on by National Concerns of Police Survivors. As the Washington State Concerns of Police Survivors Suicide Liaison I feel this is a great opportunity for me to not only learn more about traumas of law enforcement but to share my story with those attending and hopefully help them understand police (first responders) suicide. So many people think suicide is a selfish act and not worthy of further action. There are always underlying circumstances and I hope I can be the one to help these people see a different side of suicide. On a personal note, I continue to depend on God's strength to make it day by day. For those attending, I will have my book, Matt's Last Call: Surviving Our Protectors, available to purchase.

Praise the Lord

Yesterday was a great day. Through all my research and following through with those who allowed me to use their name and business in my resource directory I met a great man, John Marx director of Cops Alive. He asked me to do a telephone interview for the copsalive podcast. It took place yesterday and the Lord helped me tell my story about Matt's Last Call. I felt it went well but of course remembered things I should have said after the fact. My goal is to save a life but talking with John we decided it should be, "I am out to save lives!"

It is hard to believe that after 7 years, 5 months and 15 days I have not only written a book but I am speaking all over our valley and now onto podcasts that go all over the United States. I thank God that He lead me in this direction and that so many people have reached out to me for help. Praise the Lord!

Darkness Closes In

Darkness Closes In as three more suicides take place this past week. Two male ages 23 and 25 and 1 female age 19.That makes 25 since January of 2012. The students at our high school are concerned, not knowing where to turn or what to do. Recently, a group of kids headed to the Interact Club advisor's classroom and sat sobbing while the President and Vice-President of that club sat behind him for comfort. A sister, whose brother took his life a short month or so ago, joined the group in tears. The advisor is an awesome man who has been dealing with several suicides of former students.

As I sit and chat with the different Law Enforcement officials we try to come up with the why, and what can we do. I believe that the most important thing we can and must do is get these kids into church youth groups or Young Life. Satan is doing an incredible job of destroying lives so we must turn to God. "In Him there is no darkness at all . . . if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin."
( I John 1:5-6) All I know is God has kept me standing through the death of my son. I can always reach out to HIM! HE is always with me and will never let me down. All I have to do is ask.

Matt's Last Call: Surviving Our Protectors - Released

Finally after 2 years and four months of writing, finding a publisher, and all that goes into publishing a book  Matt's Last Call: Surviving Our Protectors was released today. What an exciting time for me.
My goal is to Save a Life and I plan on doing that with the help of Jesus Christ. HE has been so faithful to me throughout this process and I know how great HE is. He walks with me at all times.

This was not an accident having Matt's Last Call published at this time. There has been 23 suicides in our valley since January of this year. Besides that there has been at least 3 suicides among law enforcement officers that I know of. One in Montana, Idaho and in the Longview, WA area. This has got to stop. We all need to work together to stop suicide. There is help out there. My book has resources, teaching tools - a self-help guide besides my story on how to deal with death of a child no matter what the age. I hope everyone will purchase a copy of my book and use it as a tool.

Check out my website: http://mattcutshort.tateauthor.com You can follow my blog, email me, and/or purchase Matt:s Last Call. Let's come together and SAVE A LIFE!

Matt:s Last Call: Survivng Our Protectors

6 more days until Matt's Last Call: Survivng Our Protectors is released. I am anxious to get Matt's Last Call out to everyone to see, purchase, read and help Save A Life! This book is so important to me because I don't want anyone to go through what I have had to endure since June 1, 2005. The tragedy and the pain of suicide is unbearable. In our valley we have had 22 suicides since January of this year. And , even more than that in our state, other states and in particular the military. Please help me save a life by purchasing my book and follow  the self help guide. I know with God's help I will Save A Life. Go to my website to purchase Matt's Last Call  http:mattcutshort.tateauthor.com or send me an email at: ztribe21@hotmail.com.

Website

My website is up and running. I am still working on some things and in particular a page with MEET THJE AUTHOR. I'll try my best to keep everyone up to date as to where I am. This has been so much fun but way more work than I expected. It is God's will that I do this and if that helps save a life I am ready and willing. I am off to Leavenworth this afternoon to  the Daily Joy Tea House.  Matt's Last Call: Surviving Our Protectors is the topic and I look forward to sharing my story. May God Bless each and everyone of you. Until next time.....

Timing of Matt's Last Call

The timing of Matt's Last Call: Surviving Our Protectors is not accidental. The more I am out in the community the more I realize how important Matt's Last Call is. I heard of another suicide today that happened a couple of years ago. This one was a person that took their child's life and then their own life out of revenge for someone else.  So very wrong but I hope someone reads this and can understand that suicide is not the way to go and that there is help. Please - I pray- THINK before you act. I pray that everyone receives a copy of Matt's Last Call and  pays it forward to someone else.We all need to step up to the plate and HELP SAVE A LIFE! God has given me the ability to write this book and I need  everyone to help me get it out throughout the United States. God is so great. He is the answer to everyone's problems.

God's Blessing

With the fires still burning and the smoke at hazardous levels God Blessed me last Saturday at Matt's Last Call: Surviving Our Protectors Call:  pre-launch event at Encouraging Words. Everyone came in from the smoke and had their book signed, had a cookie and lemonade. I was able to speak with each one and tell my story. I am out to SAVE A LIFE. The best part was seeing Matt's friends who I don't see anymore. It was so great seeing them. Matt's best friend 's parents, from hockey, came as did former co workers of mine. Many friends were there and I really appreciated everyone's support. Suicide is huge in our valley and we must all work together to stop this from happening again.

Matt's Last CAll: Surviving Our Protectors

After Matt's death June 1, 2005 I suffered in pain, darkness and grief so strong I didn't think I would make it. Four years and one and a half months later God gave a very special friend of mine the ability, without words, that I should write a book about Matt's life, death and the pain I live on a daily basis. I didn't want anyone else to go through the pain I have experienced. Matt's Last Call took about a year to write even though I have tweeked it ever since. One year into the process my friend, who was helping with the editing, and I found Tate Publishing. I signed my contract on September 26, 2011 after much prayer, talking with my attorney, and Dr. Tate's daughter, also part of Tate Publishing, calling and wanting to know specifically why I turned them down. After much discussion and prayer I decided I was in the right place and a great Chritian Organization. This part has been enlightening and a lot of hard work on all involved. Many panic attacks by me because I knew "I could not do this!" In the end I am thrilled. Pre-launch  Events are beginning to take place and my one and only goal is to SAVE A LIFE! I hope everyone will join with me, buy a book, learn from the book and help me save a life. NO one needs to die at there own hands. May God Bless each and everyone of you and I hope to see you all at one of my events.

The Waiting Game is over

The waiting game is over. I received the first look of the layout for "Matt's Last Call: Surviving Our Protectors" yesterday. It is absoultely fantastic. Reality has hit and I know this book will touch a lot of people. Suicide is an ugly topic no one wants to talk about. However, we MUST talk about it, learn the warning signs and turn people's lives around. Hopefully "Matt's Last Call" will not only save someone but also save someone from the pain I live with daily on the death of my son. The Lord has been good to me. He is always by my side and keeps me strong.

The Stigma of Suicide

This was my toughest chapter to write, so I turned it over to the Lord. I hate the word suicide and there is so much stigma placed on it. I choose to say someone has taken their own life. There are so many different factors that come into play with taking one's own life.

A person may be addicted to drugs or alcohol, have a chemical imbalance or a mental illness. In my son's case it was a failed relationship. In today's society there is bullying whether in person or through technology.

In this chapter I go into detail about the different kinds of stigma - socially, religious, and media. What to watch for and how to deal with someone you think may be considering taking their own life.

My intention with this chapter is to try to save someone. Everyone has someone who loves and cares for them. You may think no one cares, but I do. Turn to God and He will always be there for you.

Why write a book?

My son took his own life due to a failed relationship. He had everything going for him. The Lord led me to write a book on his life and I hope to save someone's life through my experience.