Braden's Voice

The death of a child should never pre-date that of their parents. It's happening far too often more and more in the current generation. The cause of the current epidemic of depression and teen suicide will be studied for decades to follow. In the present, we as parents must open our eyes, our ears, our minds, and our hearts to a desperate situation. The second leading cause of death of our young people is suicide. When, during your own youth did you ever give serious and pensive thought to taking your own life? Perhaps in a fleeting moment when you experienced sharp pain of a love lost or a word said, but today, the option of suicide is "on the menu" of choices and our youth talk about that menu item daily. We implore readers to learn about this taboo topic... "The 'S' Word" and to help ensure it is not kept a subject we don't talk about, but rather one we openly acknowledge and fight against as informed parents to a lost and lonely generation.

Following the loss of our son, friends encouraged us to begin writing down observations and experiences, emotions, etc. They felt others needed to hear some messages that could only come from a family directly impacted by the loss of a child. In December 2018, we set up a blog site and decided to name it BradensVoice. The blog was a compilation of what we believe Braden would communicate today on various topics affecting his decision and his life here and in Heaven. We are confident he resides eternally with our Heavenly Father and that we'll have a great reunion one day soon. In the meantime we listen, observe, and share in transparency so hopefully others may gain insight, hope, and encouragement. Mostly, we pray the words we write may bring peace and a seeking for a relationship with the perfect peace maker. Jesus Christ.

Mark Speed and his family are survivors of suicide. After they lost their only son, Mark began a blog which he converted into his first book in what will likely become a series titled "Bradens Voice". He writes to provide insight to those who are presently in the midst of a nightmare and to provide hope to those who have experienced a similar loss. Mark hopes that awareness through his family's trauma will bring awareness and ultimately prevent other families from a similar fate. Mark writes about the daily experiences his family faces. His transparent short stories open a door, taking you on their healing journey. Readers will experience a mix of grief, tears, and laughter as Mark shares what many of us find to be common ground as teens and parents. Mark and Cathy bring you into their very personal experience through honesty and humility. You will become emotionally invested in the hope contained in these stories: a hope for a brighter outcome through culture change. Mark wants readers to remain open and thoughtful about the story long after they have closed the book. This family has chosen a purposeful and unique road few elect to walk, especially in light of the world watching as they deal with unspeakable tragedy. Mark and his wife, Cathy live in Prosper, Texas raising their daughter, Caitlin who has a gift for dance. They have two Australian shepherds, Christy and Sydney. Their family enjoys vacationing together and making lasting memories at every opportunity.