Radio personality Delilah Rene recently opened up about her son's suicide in a new interview with Good Morning America's Robin Roberts.
She hopes to end the stigma of discussing the difficult subject many people whom its affected avoid..
"We need to start having open conversations, as painful as they are, because it's epidemic," said the 58-year-old nighttime radio host.
Here's Delilah's full GMA interview in the YouTube clip below.
Radio personality Delilah opens up about her son's suicidewww.youtube.com
Over a year ago, Rene lost her son Zack when he took his own life on October 3, 2017.
"I couldn't at first — I couldn't write, I couldn't talk about it," she said.
But now Rene's written a book, One Heart at a Time, in which she opens up about her painful experience.
She hopes the book will encourage parents to start a conversation about suicide.
She experienced writer's block while penning Zack's story, and her publishers were concerned. At one point, they contacted Rene's sister to write in her stead.
"She said, 'I'll help. You know, I'll step in and help,' and I'm like, 'Oh, no, no, no, no. Nobody's telling Zack's story but me,'" said Rene.
The revered advice-giver was praised for her openness in the GMA interview.
GMA viewers also appreciated Roberts' interview with Delilah.
Delilah, a mother of 13, including 10 adopted children, took a break from her eight million listeners after her son's death.
It was her listeners who helped her through the grieving process.
The devout Christian said she "would not be standing if it weren't for the prayers of my friends, my family, and my listeners."
"So many listeners sent the most beautiful thoughts and prayers and shared their own stories of loss and grief and what helped them get through."
A year later, she still struggles with her devastating loss.
"I finish the show and that's when it hits. Because that was our time together. My son was a night owl."
H/T - CNN, People, ChristianPost, Twitter, YouTube