Beauty of Broken

Project Unbroken, an emerging nonprofit dedicated to helping families thrive after losing a loved one to suicide, has launched "Beauty of Broken," a powerful campaign that transforms the fragility of grief into a message of hope and healing through the Japanese art of kintsugi. The campaign debuts ahead of International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day on November 22.

New Campaign Transforms Grief Into Gold: "Beauty of Broken" Launches to Support Families After Suicide Loss

Every year, over 30,000 American children lose a parent to suicide, and tragically, family members affected by suicide are three times more likely to die by suicide themselves*. And while their cause is a noble one, the majority of nonprofits in this space focus on suicide prevention, such as raising awareness about important resources, hotlines, trainings and more. What makes Project Unbroken different is that it focuses on '"postvention" – helping families pick up the pieces and thrive again in the wake of a suicide, emotionally, financially, and spiritually.

At the heart of the campaign is a cinematic film featuring real stories from suicide loss survivors who each chose an object that represents an irreplaceable connection to the loved one they lost. Eight-year-old Charlice, who lost her father to suicide, chose a baseball glove. Sarah, whose husband died by suicide, selected a watch. Chris and Martha Thomas, who lost their 24-year-old daughter to suicide, chose a sunflower.

In stunning CGI cinematography, the film shows those meaningful objects – the baseball glove, watch, and sunflower – all being shattered as if they are made of ceramic, a visual metaphor for the devastating impact of suicide on families and the complicated process of grief that comes with it. But the story doesn't end there. The film then shows the objects being reconstructed through kintsugi, eventually showcasing them as whole objects with golden scars. The message is clear: what's broken can be transformed into something even more beautiful and strong.

After losing her husband to suicide in 2018 and discovering kintsugi as part of her own healing journey, Project Unbroken founder Trina Roffino was inspired to build an organization around this powerful metaphor. Project Unbroken offers financial resources, community, and hope to those navigating the complicated grief that follows suicide loss.

"We launched Project Unbroken because families like mine were falling through the cracks after suicide loss," said Trina Roffino, founder of Project Unbroken. "My hope is that Beauty of Broken brings visibility to these families and opens hearts to their healing. Every golden scar in this campaign represents a child who's rediscovered joy, a parent who's found strength, a family that's learning to live again. This is just the beginning."

The "Beauty of Broken" film and additional resources, such as purchasing at-home kintsugi kits, are available at beautyofbroken.org. The campaign invites everyone to learn about Project Unbroken and share its mission, ensuring that families affected by suicide know they have a community ready to help them heal.

The campaign, created in partnership with advertising agency Tombras, will culminate in a special "Beauty of Broken" art gallery exhibition in New York City on November 22 for International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day. The event, which is free to the public, will be held from 12pm to 4pm at Artifact Projects (155 Suffolk St., New York, NY 10002, USA). The exhibition will display the kintsugi-restored objects from the film, each accompanied by a QR code that allows visitors to hear the personal stories behind them. Attendees can also purchase kintsugi kits to experience the healing craft at home, with all proceeds supporting Project Unbroken's mission.