Cops, Cons, and Grace: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Suicide - Hardcover

by Brian Cahill (Author), Dan Willis (Foreword by)

A decade ago Brian Cahill became the victim of the greatest tragedy any parent can endure with the loss of his firstborn son, a veteran police officer in the aftermath of a painful divorce, to suicide. Far from the carefree retirement he had envisioned, the devastated father faced a journey back from the brink of utter despair. As the author of numerous opinion pieces and essays on religion, the lifelong Catholic was familiar with the concept that the cross is followed by the resurrection, and that from death comes new life. In the devastating years following his beloved son's suicide, the abstract became very real. Cahill's work volunteering with two different groups--cops and cons--saved him, allowing him to eventually experience a measure of grace. The unlikely combination of working with SFPD officers on suicide prevention and leading a spirituality group for San Quentin lifers brought him enough of a sense of peace and acceptance to truly want to continue living.

Author Biography

Brian Cahill is the retired executive director of San Francisco Catholic Charities. He is a volunteer suicide prevention trainer for the San Francisco and San Jose Police Departments and a volunteer in prison ministry. He has published articles on cops and suicide as well as religion and public policy in the San Francisco Chronicle, National Catholic Reporter, and CNN Online. Brian lives in San Francisco with his wife Donna. He is the father of four, grandfather of two and recently became a great-grandfather. For more information, visit www.briancahillwriter.com.