Jun 13, 2026
Correspondent photo / Susan Wojnar Amy Zell of Zell Yeah Designs sews on a patch with her specialized Singer cobbler sewing machine at the Sanctuary Artisan’s Market — a space created by Bryon Baggiossi to provide riders access to gear and handcrafted products from local artisans. The sewing machine was purchased by Grief and Loss in Motion.
HUBBARD — A local nonprofit is expanding an innovative outreach program that combines a practical service for motorcycle enthusiasts with a mission that reaches far beyond sewing patches onto leather vests.
Grief and Loss In Motion, a nonprofit organization dedicated to suicide postvention, grief support and prevention education, continues to expand Zell Yeah Designs — a unique outreach initiative designed to connect with members of the motorcycle community while opening conversations about mental health, suicide prevention and healing after loss.
The program emerged after a devastating period for local riders. Between November 2023 and January 2024, six individuals connected to the motorcycle community in Trumbull County died by suicide. The losses touched motorcycle club members, independent riders and families throughout the region.
As members of the Trumbull County LOSS (Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors) Team, representatives from Grief and Loss In Motion are dispatched by the Trumbull County Coroner’s Office to provide support to families immediately following a suicide loss. Through those experiences, founder Amy Zell began looking for new ways to reach people before a crisis occurred.
“We knew we could not wait for people to walk into an office,” Zell said. “We had to go where people already were — bike runs, benefits, club events and community spaces. Boots-on-the-ground work is how we build trust, start conversations and help save lives.”
Finding a way into such a large and diverse community presented challenges. Riders come from many backgrounds, affiliations and lifestyles. Some belong to motorcycle clubs, others participate primarily in charity rides, and many simply enjoy being on the road.
Zell realized they all shared one thing in common: They need riding gear.
PARTNERSHIP
That realization led to a partnership with Freedom Thirteen Cycle in Hubbard and The Sanctuary Artisans Market, a space created by Bryon Baggiossi to provide riders access to gear and handcrafted products from local artisans.
When Holly “Stitchblade” Baggiossi, well-known in the motorcycle community for her sewing and patchwork, decided to step away from the business, Grief and Loss In Motion saw an opportunity. The organization purchased her specialized Singer cobbler sewing machine and transformed an existing trailer into a mobile sewing station.
What started as sewing patches in parking lots soon became an unexpected doorway into meaningful conversations.
“When you have someone’s cut, (a sleeveless vest typically made of leather or heavy denim that is customized with patches and insignia) you have their full attention,” Zell said. “We are able to ask how they are really doing, tell them about our mission and occasionally discuss safe firearm storage when we save a pocket by not having to sew it shut putting patches on.”
Today, the mobile sewing station travels to motorcycle charity rides, bike blessings, fundraisers and community events throughout Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties. Volunteers sew patches onto leather vests while providing information about suicide prevention, grief support services and community resources.
The outreach has proven effective. Zell says she has received more than 200 phone calls from individuals seeking support, information or referrals since the program began.
Some callers simply need someone to listen. Others ask about available resources. Still others call during moments of suicidal crisis.
“People often ask if they have to say what club they are with or what their road name is,” Zell said. “Our answer is always no. We believe in privacy, confidentiality and treating people with respect.”
Trust, she says, is one of the defining characteristics of the motorcycle community.
“So many clubs are very tight-knit and take care of their own, and the way they do so is commendable,” Zell said. “It never hurts to add to their tool belts new ways to address topics or signs to watch for, even people to reach out to that respect their way of life.”
The outreach effort also has helped challenge stereotypes about bikers.
“I would commend their loyalty, their confidentiality and the respect they share as brothers and sisters,” Zell said. “They have each other’s backs, and their willingness to talk with us confirms that they want to take care of one another and their community.”
Members of the motorcycle community are no strangers to grief. Fatal accidents, military service and personal losses often touch riders and their families in profound ways.
“Bikers know grief like no other community,” Zell said. “You can be enjoying a ride with someone one day, and they can be in a fatal accident the next day.”
Many riders are military veterans as well, creating opportunities for conversations about military service, trauma and mental health.
One conversation in particular continues to stand out to Zell.
While sewing patches for a veteran, she and a fellow volunteer spoke with him about peer support services. Nearly a year later, the man returned.
“He said, ‘Don’t you recognize the jacket? You did all the sewing,’” Zell recalled. The veteran had since pursued training in peer support and was preparing to volunteer with Grief and Loss In Motion. He credited that conversation with helping him discover a renewed sense of purpose.
Stories like that reinforce the importance of the program’s grassroots approach.
“We have been thanked for helping someone stay with us and not attempt,” Zell said. “We have been called after a suicide and thanked for the extra time someone had with their loved one.”
NAVIGATING GRIEF
At its core, however, Grief and Loss In Motion is about more than prevention. It is also about helping people navigate grief after a loss occurs.
“The struggles are different for everyone,” Zell explained. “Grief is a human condition, not a disorder.”
She notes that many survivors of suicide loss experience isolation, difficulty concentrating, memory issues and feelings they may not expect. Support groups provide opportunities for people to connect with others facing similar experiences and to realize they are not alone.
“We don’t want people to grieve alone in any loss,” Zell said. “Reaching out for support takes strength.”
Education is another important part of the organization’s mission.
According to Zell, there is no single profile of someone who may be suicidal. Warning signs can vary greatly from person to person.
“The happiest, most successful and joyful person in the room is equally likely to be as suicidal as the person crying in the corner,” she said.
She encourages family members and friends to pay attention to significant changes in behavior, mood or routines, and to ask direct questions when they are concerned. At the same time, she emphasizes that individuals who are struggling also have a responsibility to reach out for help.
“If you are feeling suicidal, speak up. Reach out. Be honest. Seek help from someone qualified that you feel comfortable with,” she said. “If you are not fine, say so. It is OK to have a bad day. It is OK to share your feelings.”
IT’S PERSONAL
For Zell, the mission is deeply personal.
Grief and Loss In Motion was founded following the death of her son, Tyler Neral, who died by suicide in November 2009 at the age of 16.
“It is hard to talk about myself and what we do sometimes,” Zell said. “The mission is because I lost my son.”
That loss continues to guide the organization’s work, from LOSS Team responses and support groups to educational programs and the unique outreach made possible through Zell Yeah Designs.
The organization recently took another step forward when it was invited into The Sanctuary Artisans Market in Hubbard to provide sewing and patch-making services on a permanent basis.
“We started out sewing in parking lots and have recently been invited into The Sanctuary to handle all of the sewing and patch making,” Zell said. “That is a huge honor that we do not take lightly.”
While the sewing services continue to grow, Zell remains focused on the larger purpose behind every patch.
“This is not just about patches,” she said. “The patch gets us to the table. The sewing machine gives us time to talk. The vest tells a story. And sometimes that conversation may help someone hold on for another seven minutes, another hour, another day.”
In addition to Zell Yeah Designs, Grief and Loss In Motion continues to provide LOSS Team response services, grief support groups, prevention education and firearm safety resources throughout the region.
Community members can support those efforts through events such as the annual Ride for Roy Suicide Awareness Bike Run, held in memory of veteran Roy Verrill, whose death became the first suicide-loss response for the Trumbull County LOSS Team. Organized by Verrill’s family and members of the Steel Hammerz motorcycle club, the event serves as a fundraiser for Grief and Loss In Motion and a reminder that support, understanding and hope can often begin with a simple conversation.
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