How Ridgewood's Jane Clementi Found Her Faith After Son's Suicide

RIDGEWOOD, NJ —Following her son's suicide, Jane Clementi turned to something that some people might abandon: Her faith.

Clementi spoke on the "Today" show Wednesday, on what would have been her son Tyler's 27th birthday.

"I would hear single words at a time and to me that was God's presence," Clementi said. "He would continually repeat words like hope or change."

She talked about how her faith has been rekindled and the solace has found in it since Tyler killed himself in 2010 following an incident of cyberbullying while he was a student at Rutgers University. (See related: More NJ Teens Are Committing Suicide: Why It's Happening And What Can Be Done)

"I've changed the way I look at the teachings of the Christian church. We have been told that love is patient, love is kind. Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, love never fails us," Clementi said. "Loving and embracing your gay, lesbian, or bisexual child, as God created them, will never fail you."

Clementi and her husband, Joseph founded The Tyler Clementi Foundation in 2011, which works to further the acceptance of gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgender teenagers and provide education in an effort to curb all forms of bullying, especially cyberbullying.

Clementi said in previous interviews that she considered suicide following her son's death. But God's presence in her life kept her from making the same decision Tyler did, she said Wednesday. (See related: After Losing Her Son To Suicide, Ridgewood Mom Considered It Too)

"If God wasn't there, I know I wouldn't be here today," Clementi said.

Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com

Photo: Jane and Joseph Clementi attend the 28th annual Night of a Thousand Gowns at the Marriott Marquis Times Square. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)