Community supports Santaquin family that lost father and son days apart
A Santiquin wife and mother says she wants their story to be one of love, not tragedy.
Jenn Suiter was married to her husband for 25 years and was 'madly in love' with him.
He was killed in a crash on I-15 in Payson just 10 days after the couple buried their son, who died by suicide.
'We are devastated, and there will always be a hole in my heart — but I will live for Christopher,' she said.
Chris Suiter, 50, was killed when 19-year-old Riley Durst, of Draper, jumped the median cable on I-15 in Payson from the northbound lanes, entering southbound traffic. Durst and Chris Suiter both died on impact.
'I even named my company True Love Skin Care because (it was) inspired by our love,' Jenn Suiter said.
Her son, Brian Suiter, suffered a traumatic brain injury after he broke his neck following a four-wheeling accident, which Jenn Suiter believes is the reason for his suicide.
'Traumatic brain injuries alter your brain in ways that we don't even understand. And when he took his life, I really just believed that it was just a symptom of his brain not working,' she said.
Jenn Suiter said in a video statement that the world is filled with love and angels, and angels from both Earth and heaven have supported their family during these challenging times.
'If you knew two things about us, we would always say, 'Never give up, never surrender.' And my son was known for saying, 'Let's go,'' she said.
In addition to many donations to a GoFundMe* account to help raise funds for funeral expenses, community members are putting on a benefit concert on June 24 in Payson.
*KSL.com does not assure that money deposited into the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisers and otherwise proceed at your own risk.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call 988 to connect with the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Crisis hotlines
Huntsman Mental Health Institute Crisis Line: 801-587-3000
SafeUT Crisis Line: 833-372-3388
988 Suicide and Crisis LifeLine at 988
Trevor Project Hotline for LGBTQ teens: 1-866-488-7386
Online resources
NAMI Utah: namiut.org
SafeUT: safeut.org
Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988lifeline.org
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Utah chapter: afsp.org/chapter/utah
Santaquin family mourning loss of father, son who died within 10 days of each other
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