Giving Christmas to a family who lost their father

For families spending their first Christmas after the death of a loved one, their holidays aren't so "merry" this year.

For one family, members of Oakland Christian Church in Oakland Township, this is their first holiday without a father. The man lost his life to suicide earlier this year, leaving behind a wife and two pre-teen children.

With one less stocking hung by the chimney, one less income and one less father for two children, members of Oakland Christian Church decided to surprise them this year at their Thursday night young adult service next week to try and make their Christmas a little brighter this year. But I know for a fact — they would exchange it all to have their father back.

Pastor Dominic Russo of Oakland Christian Church is asking people to bring grocery cards, gas cards and any other kinds of gift cards at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 22 to the big white church located at 5100 N. Adams Road in Oakland Township.

Monica's goal is to raise awareness about suicide and help erase the stigma associated with mental illness. In 2012, she won first place in News Enterprise Reporting by the Michigan Press Association for her series on suicide in the community, and in 2013, was named “Digital Innovator of the Year” by the Local Media Association. In 2019, she received the Ambassador Award from the suicide prevention nonprofit Six Feet Over. She started the blog Meant to Live to help others by sharing signs of depression, reasons to live, resources, suicide and bullying prevention groups, other people’s stories and memorials. She especially wants to show people that they are not alone.

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