05/07/2026
From November 2023 to January 2024, Trumbull County lost 6 individuals to su***de who were part of the motorcycle community — club members, daily riders, Veterans, and people deeply connected to the biker world.
That loss changed us.
We started showing up at bike runs, Veteran rides, and events. We began offering su***de prevention trainings in biker spaces — not asking people to come to us, but meeting them where they already were.
Over time, that outreach grew into creating and sewing patches. To most people, it’s just a vest. To the biker community, that vest tells a story. People stand with it. They wear memories on it. And while we sew, we talk. Sometimes about the patch. Sometimes about grief. Sometimes about how their day is really going.
Have we saved everyone? No. We’ve lost two more people to su***de since starting this work in 2024, and that heartbreak never leaves. But it pushes us to keep fighting harder. Because sometimes prevention looks like helping someone make it another 7 minutes, another hour, another day.
Right now, we need help purchasing a reliable pocket-saving machine. Ours spends more time in the repair shop than sewing. We have the opportunity to purchase a replacement for $1,200.
Why does this matter?
Because the pocket we save is often the gun pocket. Sewing it shut sounds simple — but preserving the pocket creates space for conversation about safe storage, mental health, and staying alive through difficult moments.
Prevention is part of everything we do, even as a postvention organization.
If you would like to help us continue this outreach in the motorcycle community, donations can be made to Grief and Loss In Motion. Every dollar helps us keep showing up, keep sewing, and keep having conversations that matter. 💜🩵🏍️
