Return to Ithaca: Surviving a Son's Suicide, (Paperback)

At age 18, Rion enrolled in Cornell University's School of Architecture with a solid path laid out and a future full of promise. Four years later, he committed suicide. In the years and months leading up to their son's death, his parents David and Susan painfully witnessed Rion's struggles with mental illness and tried vigilantly to provide or find the help he so desperately needed. In the end, their efforts failed.

"This emotional memoir moves at the perfect pace to tell this sad and powerful story...The book is heart-wrenching and enlightening in equal measure...Even the devastating moments at the center of this memoir are written about with grace, emotion, and care...With their varying voices, Susan and David Wight manage to make their son's story not his alone, but one that shines light on how an experience like this affects an entire family." -Critic's Review, BookLife Prize 2020

Return to Ithaca portrays a family's journey through the darkness of mental illness and suicide, and the search for resolution, healing, and new meaning. Ultimately, the book is a testament to family healing and a guide to overcoming tragedy and grief.