Late at night at the end of August 2020, Linda Vesterberg received the tragic news from two police officers - her 21-year-old son Elias had taken his own life and she then decided to become active in the organization Suicide zero.
"You never get over an event like that, you always carry it with you. But I decided to become one of the people who works to ensure that no other parent has to lose their child," she says.
"It's about saving lives"
She says a lot of work is required on many levels, including at school. Otherwise, she believes the number of suicides could increase in the future.
- These horrible things creep down the ages. We must be able to meet people who we see feeling bad and also dare to ask questions about it, despite the fact that it is a sensitive issue. It's about saving lives.
Many more people die by suicide than by traffic
Now she hopes that the new, and county-wide, action plan against suicide will mean a change in the region and municipalities.
"We have a zero vision in traffic, but also a zero vision in suicide. But despite this, there are seven times more people who die by suicide compared to traffic. These are frightening figures that we have to do something about," says Linda Vesterberg.
In the clip, Linda talks about the heartbreaking morning when her son Elias was found deceased.
Luleå resident Linda Vesterberg lost her 21-year-old son Elias to suicide 2.5 years ago. Photo: Private