AIRED: March 6, 2023
SPECIAL GUEST: Charlotte Maya
“Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death in the United States between ages 25-34 (the first being accidents), and the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. Charlotte’s book is an intimate, honest, heartbreaking, yet uplifting “story of hope and healing in the face of unspeakable sadness. With her exquisite writing, unflinching candor, and at times wry humor, Charlotte Maya shares her family’s struggle with the abject sorrow of her husband’s suicide and the winding path to recovery. It’s a beautiful and poignant reminder that even in life’s darkest times, daylight is within reach.” – Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times
After taking her sons on a hike with the family dog one beautiful fall afternoon, Charlotte Maya returned home to find a policewoman, a policeman, and a priest in her driveway—there to deliver the news of her husband’s suicide. Charlotte knew her husband had been stressed about work, but she had no idea he was suicidal. She thought he had stayed home to take a nap.
As a young widow, Charlotte cried, cursed, meditated, medicated, downward-dogged, and ran as a way to make sense of her husband’s suicide. As the mother of two bereft sons, she summoned her inner strength and clarity in order to provide steady guidance for them to navigate their own ways through the ensuing months and years.
In Charlotte’s new book, Sushi Tuesdays: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Family Resilience, she offers powerful lessons and practical ways in which suicide survivors can frame a stunning tragedy and move forward to live lives of joy and purpose.
CHARLOTTE MAYA
Charlotte Maya writes about suicide loss, resilience, and hope on her blog, SushiTuesdays.com. Widowed at 39, when her children were six and eight, Charlotte’s writing explores the intersections of grief, parenting, and self-care, particularly within the context of suicide.
Her work has been highlighted in Hippocampus Magazine and on The Mighty, and she has been featured on the A2A Alliance and the Your Next Chapter podcast with Angela Raspass.
Charlotte lives in Southern California with her family and enjoys hiking in the local foothills, as well as downward dogging with her so-called hunting dog. She received her B.A. from Rice University and her J.D. from UCLA.
