CHICAGO — It was inside of a house of worship Saturday, that faith to continue life through loss was found.

Every year, the International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day seeks to console those who’ve lost a loved one to suicide.

“It’s a certain type of grief that is unique when you lose someone to suicide,” said Angela Cummings, executive director of the Illinois chapter of the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention. “It really affects so many people in the community.”

Even though she runs the organization, Cummings said she is not excluded from dealing with the pain of losing someone to suicide.

“I lost my grandfather to suicide about 30 years ago,” Cummings said. “Then my husband lost our very dear friend to suicide about 13 years ago and they were very different type of people, and very different types of events, but the grief is the same.”

Four gatherings took place at churches across the City of Chicago Saturday, joining 300 locations around the world on Survivor Day.

Started nearly 25 years ago by former Nevada Senator Harry Reid after losing his father to suicide, Survivor Day aims to open new lines of conversation.

“Bring people together,” Cummings said of the conversations. “Just sharing that grief and knowing that there’s hope and community and [you’re] able to share your stories are so powerful for that healing journey.”