When Michele Elliot lost her teen son Jordan to suicide she was immediately thrust into a world of confusion, pain and grief and unable to find support from services.
Despite the suffering she and her whanau have faced, and still endure, Michele has fought back passionately against elements of her community’s judgement and indifference to her grief.
But far from retreating into private sorrow, Michele’s courage has born a support network for others in similar circumstances and is testament to her resilience and mana. In standing-up for those who need comfort she has built a bridge between those who mourn and those who stand in judgement.