Ariana Sutton GoFundMe: Fundraiser raises nearly $300,000 for mother of three who died by suicide

A fundraiser page was recently created on GoFundMe for Ariana Sutton, a 36-year-old mother of three who died by suicide on May 31, 2023. The fundraiser was organized by Joseph Fitzgerald and Daniel Flaherty on June 3. Ariana’s GoFundMe has raised over $300,000 of its $400,000 set goal so far.

Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of a suicide and postpartum depression. Reader discretion is advised.

Ariana was the wife of a police officer at Massachusetts’ Easton Police Department. On May 22, she gave birth to a twin boy and a girl but their early arrival put immense strain on her mental health, ultimately leading her to take her own life.

The 36-year-old deceased is survived by her husband, Officer Tyler Sutton, their newborn twins, Rowan and Everyl, and their 4-year-old daughter, Melody.

Keith Boone, the Chief of police at Easton spoke about the tragedy with permission from Ariana’s family, urging others to learn about postpartum depression:

"Two weeks ago, we were calling him [Tyler Sutton] saying, 'Congratulations,' and putting cards together for him. Now, we're preparing for a funeral. He's got a long road ahead of him to put the pieces back together of his life."

Awareness about postpartum depression is raised after Ariana Sutton's tragic death. (Image via Twitter/@TruestKind)

---

Ariana Sutton was eager to birth her twins

The fundraiser on GoFundMe was a call for everyone to honor Ariana Sutton’s memory by supporting her family. Organizers Joseph and Daniel requested everyone to extend their unwavering support to her family at the time of this profound loss.

They shared how Ariana took her own life only days after delivering her twins. Joseph and Daniel conveyed that the weight of this tragedy was unimaginable, but they hoped to offer their love, strength, as well as financial assistance to the Sutton family and help them through this challenging journey.

Ariana Sutton was described as a devoted and vibrant mother, who was eagerly waiting for her twins to arrive. However, she fell prey to postpartum depression, and despite her relentless endeavor to seek help, she ultimately succumbed to her mental health issues.

The fundraiser stated that the donations would help provide essential childcare support to Ariana Sutton’s children, and will allow her husband Tyler to focus on their children’s well-being while dealing with the loss himself. The GoFundMe page was created to help alleviate Tyler’s burden and ensure that the family has all the resources they need for healing and rebuilding their lives.

Joseph and Daniel also mentioned Ariana and Tyler’s elder daughter Melody, who is only 4 years old. They extended their love, support, and guidance toward her to help her through this turbulent journey.

A funeral service for Ariana Sutton was held on Tuesday at 11 am at Brockton’s Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church. Visitation and burial were held in private.

GoFundMe page is created to financially help Ariana's family. (Image via Twitter/@sadgirlcassi)

---

What is postpartum depression?

Postpartum depression affects about one out of seven people. Initially, the symptoms can seem similar to “baby blues” symptoms, which include anxiety, mood swings, feeling overwhelmed, sadness, difficulty sleeping, and crying.

However, the symptoms of postpartum depression are more intense, last longer, and may impact the mother’s ability to care for her child as well as handle daily tasks.

Mothers also have a hard time bonding with the baby during this time and withdrawal from family and friends is a common symptom of postpartum depression. Feelings of hopelessness occur and the mother can also have thoughts of self-harm.