SPOKANE, Wash. — A local funeral director who helps families say goodbye to loved ones is sharing his own story of loss after his 27-year-old son died by suicide following a battle with bipolar disorder.
Rick Foss works with grieving families every day at Heritage Funeral Home. Behind his professional demeanor, he carries his own grief.
“I have the fortunate and unfortunate occupation of working with the families of folks that have had loved ones deceased,” Foss said.
During an interview about 12-year-old Sarah, who struggled with mental illness and took her own life, Foss revealed his personal connection to mental health issues.
“I have a personal relationship with death,” Foss shared. “I had a son that had a mental health issue, bipolar disorder.”
Foss’s son died by suicide at age 27 after battling bipolar disorder. “Throughout his life, he struggled with it and ended up taking his own life as well. Very similar to Sarah,” he said.
Foss believes mental health resources often fall short. “There are resources out there for those folks. But a lot of times the help that they get isn’t enough,” he explained. “Basically they can’t combat the disease any longer. And so this is the path that they take.”
The interview happened unexpectedly. Foss initially offered to walk a news crew to Sarah’s grave. When asked about working at a place where a 12-year-old should not be, the conversation took an unexpected turn.
Despite his uncertainty about making it through the interview, Foss shared his story to help others. He hopes his openness will prevent him from meeting some families too soon.
“If you know someone or have a loved one that struggles with mental disorder, try and support them as much as you possibly can,” he urged.
Foss encourages people to recognize warning signs. “If you notice someone that has extreme highs and extreme lows, try and explain to them that it’s just an illness,” he advised. “It’s okay to be mentally ill.”
For those in crisis, help is available through the 988 Crisis Support Hotline.
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