Well, you start by saying you hear him and see his pain, that that is an utterly awful thing to happen to anybody, and that while you can't imagine what he's go

Well, you start by saying you hear him and see his pain, that that is an utterly awful thing to happen to anybody, and that while you can't imagine what he's going through, it is completely understandable that he would be feeling so desperate in such circumstances. Acknowledgement is important. After that... that's the tricky bit. _Maybe_, you might say that while it feels right now like there's no hope, that that won't last forever. _Maybe_ you might suggest that his son wouldn't have wanted him to do this. But anything that sniffs of manipulation is dangerous ground, I think. The first part though, the acknowledgement, that's step one in speaking with anyone in emotional distress.