Nikki Bonkoski
Hello, my name is Brave.
Actually, my name is Nikki, but my close friends call me Nik. In 2015, after my first husband took his own life, I had to discover my inner bravery to continue my journey. So, what is The Brave Ladies Club? It is a private Facebook group designed for women aged 18 to 100 who have lost a spouse or partner to suicide.
This club serves as a sanctuary where we can uplift one another, navigate our challenges together, and connect with women who truly understand the unique experience of being a survivor. We will share advice, healing, our stories, and create a safe environment to express our truths. Please note that negativity, hate, and graphic details regarding suicide are not allowed and will be removed. Any members engaging in bashing or harsh judgment of others will also be removed from the group.
Kindness, love, and support are essential here. You are safe among women who have also lost their significant other to suicide. Membership is limited to those I add personally, ensuring that this remains a place filled with love and light, free from darkness and trolling.
Be mindful of what you share, especially personal information. While everyone can see your name, you’re not required to disclose other family members' names or your location if you prefer to keep that private. I will monitor the group daily, but I trust that as grown women, we can maintain a loving and kind atmosphere without constant moderation.
Be mindful. Be kind. Be loving. Spread light.
This group is exclusively for women who have lost a spouse, partner, or boyfriend to suicide. If you have lost a brother, friend, or father, I encourage you to join my other support group, Grief Untamed, where you will find ample love and support.
Are you still living through their suicide?
Then you are one Brave Lady.
While I wish you didn't have to be part of this club, I welcome you with open arms and an abundance of love.
-Nikki Bonkoski
Founder of the Brave Ladies Club
Est: 2017
Rosemount, Minnesota USA
The Brave Ladies Club Private Support Group on Facebook
Comments I have received from members of The Brave Ladies Club
"Thank you for being you and helping so many of us! This group is everything!" "
"This is my only safe space, and the only place where people understand me. Thank you"
"Thank you Nikki. This group has saved me. It's the only place I feel at home anymore."
"This group has been my lifeline!"
"Thank you Nikki for making this safe, supportive community for all of us!"
"Nikki, I been with you for nearly as long as you have been here. I can’t begin to tell you how many people you have brought through the worst times of our lives. I can’t thank you enough for being here for me and the others. Kind soul, I love you."
"This is the only place where I feel I'm understood. We have a language all our own!"
"Nikki, thank you from the bottom of my heart for devoting your time to this group. I don't know how I would have made it through the last 4 months if not for the stories and compassion of this group of women."
"I never knew a group like this existed until I lost my husband in June and came across it. Thank you for putting this group together and saving so many ladies. Not all hero's wear capes."
"Thank you Nikki for creating this group. I remember feeling so alone when my husband completed. This group along with other support groups has helped this journey none of us wanted to be on. I'm grateful to have been able to meet local ladies to share this journey with on a more personal level. I wouldn't know them without this group, so once again, thank you!"
"Thank you, Nikki, I followed your Facebook for a while, and then I lost my husband to suicide on 9/8. I am so glad I found this group that I never wanted to join but thankful to have."
8,200 members from across the globe
This support group started with one woman in 2017. It has grown to over 8,000 women from across the globe. This is a good and heartbreaking growth. Good because it means women who have lost a spouse/partner to suicide are getting the free support they need and deserve from the ONLY other women who understand. Bad because it means suicide is nowhere near declining in adults.