In a heart wrenching story that became public two days ago, long time radio host Delilah has revealed that she has lost her teenage son Zack to suicide.

Delilah, whose radio show can be heard across the country, including on our sister station WFPG-FM in Atlantic City, posted the message to her Facebook page over the weekend.

As someone who has been touched by the terrible tragedy of suicide, I can truly say that I can't even begin to imagine the depth of her pain as a mother.

I have seen the evil of mental illness that ends in suicide a few times. Two of the kindest, most wonderful people I know lost loved ones to suicide; one lost a father, one lost a child.

Personally, I lost a mentor. One of the most generous, encouraging, kind people I've had the pleasure to know, without whom I certainly wouldn't be on the radio today, took his own life about 7 years ago.

While we sometimes come across opinions of suicide being a "selfish" action, we need to remember that it is the result of mental illness.

It's not something that can be understood by the survivors because the victim is often able to hide the signs that they are in anguish.

If we think about the public figures who we have lost recently, like Robin Williams and musicians Chester Bennington & Chris Cornell, we're often left thinking that these are people seemingly "with everything". But what that doesn't take into account is the fact that we truly can't look at it in terms of "having" things or not when the true issue is mental health.

I extend my deepest, most heartfelt sympathy to my broadcasting colleague Delilah as she copes with one of the most tragic things that anyone can experience.

If you know someone who is showing signs of depression, talk to them. Sometimes the smallest gestures can make a difference to someone who is in pain, and sometimes it takes gentle encouragement to steer them toward seeking professional help.

If you struggle with thoughts of suicide, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

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The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of 92.7 WOBM, Townsquare Media, its employees, or advertisers.