Wednesday, July 18, 2007

The Tragedy Grows

I need to talk about this with someone. I guess it's you. The husband of the beautiful woman whose picture is a few entries below (who died last week) has now disappeared. His wallet, keys and clothes were found on a beach. He is 35 years old and was on his way to her Memorial Service in Michigan. He is also an artist and writer. How can their families bear this? Suicide is contageous, I've heard. After a long relationship, it's hard to contemplate life without a loved one.

Jeffrey Eugenides' book The Virgin Suicides (to my mind, his better book) was based on a rash of suicides in this community in the 1980s. So called motivational speakers were brought it. We begged our children not to look on suicide as either romantic or a solution. It finally ended but that was a dreadful year. This one is shaping up to be horrific too.

9 comments:

Maria said...

I'm so sorry, Patti. If there's anything I can do, even if it's just listen, please let me know.

Christa M. Miller said...

Oh, Patti, that is so sad. I'm sorry for your friend, and you. Please take care.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Thanks, guys. I'm out of here for a week. Hopefully it will end for my dearest friend soon. Believe it or not, yesterday her 14 yr old granddaughter was hit by a car crossing the street on her bike. She's okay but god!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stephen Blackmoore said...

Keeping my fingers crossed.

Anonymous said...

Take care, of you and yours, and of your friend. That is a run of misfortune, indeed, verging on the ridiculous, the kind of thing that won't fly in fiction too easily.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Does anyone ever come back from left stuff on a beach? I keep telling myself there's a chance, but how would it work?

Megan said...

I'm sorry.

Anonymous said...

Was the granddaughter by chance taken to Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak? I was in the emergency room for yet another bowel obstruction and I was next to a little girl who was wearing a neck brace. We were both waiting to be x-rayed. Her parents were by her side. I heard the staff talking that she was hit by a car. She looked to be 13 or 14.

Greg Bardsley said...

This is so sad. ... It's so hard to do when in the depths of this kind of darkness, when suicide seems to make sense, but I believe it truly does help to force oneself to think about (or even list) the good things about his or her life -- even if it's a photo of a special place, a loved niece or nephew, a pet who loves you. The world keeps spinning; this too shall pass, as brutal that sounds, and the pain *will* ease ... I pray for this man and his family and friends.