Joanne Mazzotta

I am not a great philosopher. I am not a brilliant scholar. I blend in with society, hardly noticeable, and offer nothing special to the world at large.

I am a flawed human being...

Born the fifth child of 7, ethnic background, Italian American. By age 26, the mother of 4 children. And that is all I cared to be defined by. They grew up with me in the Northeast part of the United states. Motherhood, to me, was all that mattered. I wanted someone to love me unconditionally, and made that my prime goal. I do not, and never will regret having children.

I adored them, learned with them, worked hard for them, played with them, made mistakes raising them, and I found myself having to protect them in a not so friendly world that has a potential to take them and give them back to you in pieces. We all broke when one fell apart. He found drugs and alcohol. It took him from us. His name is Danny.

Danny took his own life when he was 32.

In the wake of his death my true life lessons began. With no one to help me understand his death, I began to write to him, to grief, and to myself. Eight years later my journals were published and I learned most of all, that I was not alone. There is where my healing began. Those who live in a society where "suicide" is not spoken of have contacted me, and knew why I titled my book, Why Whisper? They thanked me.

Giving my hand and my heart to those who have lost loved ones by suicide became the way out of my pain. And Danny's story became a way to keep him alive. But it is Danny we must thank for speaking to me beyond his grave, allowed me to give his message to the world. I told it, I lived it, and every word is true.

My family, and 3 remaining children have healed along with me and we all survived the unthinkable sorrow that no one in my world wanted to talk about. And yet, we stay in strength because we found the gifts buried deeply inside of our grief. We are not the same people we were before he died. We are stronger...

My book, Why Whisper? is about our war veterans, celebrities, children, hairdresser, neighbor, doctor, hairdresser lawyer, elderly, young, successful, lonely, best friends, much loved, ill, healthy ... and, rich or poor, children of friends, and, it is about you.

God speed to those who went home too soon. God bless those who found their way out of the pain...

Love, Joanne

Mother of four, 3 who walk and one who soars.