“I don’t expect my friends to understand what I’ve been through. When I’m around Veterans, like-minded Veterans, I don’t have to explain myself. They already know.” ~Male Veteran

In this podcast, Master Sergeant Christopher D. Jachimiec shares the tragedy of losing his brother Adam to suicide. We explore our shared grief experiences as sibling survivors of suicide loss and the making meaning process. Out of catastrophe we have options — to get buried under, to gloss over or to go through. Chris found his higher purpose was “honoring the dash” — our lives are not about the start date or end date, but what happens in between.

During the interview, Chris shares so many resources (many listed below), key steps in the journey of healing, and lessons learned from Viktor Frankl.

Pictures of Chris and Adam growing up.
Pictures of Chris and Adam growing up.

ABOUT MASTER SERGEANT CHRISTOPHER D. JACHIMIEC
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Master Sergeant Christopher D. Jachimiec is the Section Chief, Quality Assurance for the 99th Communications Squadron, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. He serves as the principal advisor to the commander on cyberspace policy, evaluations and compliance for 130 assigned individuals and provides guidance on cyberspace efforts to six wings and over 52 tenant organizations. He leads 20 Wing Inspection Team members who ensure established directives and public law is being adhered to. He advises and mentors organizations and teams on continuous process improvement and problem solving methods.

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Sergeant Jachimiec was born in Palos Park, Illinois in 1980 and graduated from Muskego High School in Muskego, Wisconsin in 1999. He entered the Air Force in September 1999. His background includes various duties in the Security Forces and Radio Frequency Transmission Systems career fields along with service in the First Sergeant Special Duty Identifier. His stateside assignments include Creech and Nellis Air Force Bases and his overseas assignments include Osan Air Base and Ramstein Air Base. His deployment experience includes tours to Al Jaber Air Base, Kuwait and Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH and Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Additionally, Sergeant Jachimiec was one of thirty Airmen selected to augment the United States Secret Service during the 2012 Presidential Campaign, is a certified Master Resilience Trainer and leads peer support groups in the local community. For more information on this and every episode go to https://www.sallyspencerthomas.com/hope-illuminated-podcast/25