Confronting Suicide: A Community Reacts to Tragedy

It’s little exaggeration to say fundamentally shocked our community.

Understandably.

Nobody likes the idea of someone completely abandoning the will to live. It shakes us to the core. It makes us reflect. It makes us question.

Death is never easy to deal with, but the context of this particular death compounds the difficulty. The worst part is, ultimately, there are no concrete answers at the end of the road—just speculation. We can only assume what was going through the mind of Johnny Anderson during the last moments of his life.

But we continue to strive for answers—anything to deal with the dissonance our brains experience when we hear of such a terrible event. The experience of mentally dealing with this kind of news, especially so close to home, psychologically manifests itself in many different forms from person to person. It’s not unreasonable to feel fear, confusion, unrest, suspicion, doubt, or any other number or combination of intense and sometimes irrational emotional responses.

The importance of community is all the more important in times like this. Humans are social creatures. The best way we can deal with situations like this is to remind ourselves that we share the same human experience. We can rely on each other for console, for perspective, for comfort.

Never one to underestimate the healing power of community and conversation, I invite our readers to use the comment section below as a forum, specifically to help get through a traumatizing time—to remind us all that there is still hope, even after a tragedy such as this.

I’d like to get the conversation started by pulling some of the feelings people are experiencing as shared on our Facebook page, comment section and emails:

(Please be sensitive. Please be civil. Please be understanding.)

• Dana Sbragia: “I live couple blocks from scene and drove past it as it was happening. It stayed w/ me and I could not sleep because I thought it was a murder … If he left a note they should release reason and if weapon was found. Just shaken up and I hope his family can have closure, because they are stuck on this being a murder.”
• Michelle T Padula: “Sad to hear the young man took his life but I'm also relieved that it was not actually a homicide.“
• Marc A Wiley: "So young."
• AmandaMorris Jones: “i still cant see it being a suicide, thats too crazy & sad :( was there really a note? im curious to what it said? and why he chose to do it right there with his car still running!"
• Vicky Jones Rappatta: "So young. My heart aches for his family."
• Janis Cynthia Ridgway: "Either way, it is sad that one would feel that hopeless."
• Karen Kurowski McHugh: "And folks want to know what the note said? Sorry, but there is just something really wrong with needing to know those heart breaking details. Even with this sad ending, Mr. Anderson's dignity should be spared. A name, a confirmation. Prayers should be offered rather than making it a macabre viewing. My condolences and thoughts to his family. God rest his troubled soul in peace."
• : "Please people! Just let my family mourn in peace. This is hard enough, we don't need any speculation, false info or negativity right now!! May God bless each of us!!! Have Mercy Lord! !!!"
• M Lynn Hamilton Shafer: "Those saying it is scary ... nothing scary abt this Suicide---- Just VERY SAD"
• Pat Fred: "Very sad. I am very sorry for the loss that this person's family and friends are experiencing. I wish them peace."
• : "Johnny was a Beautiful person! And it's Never a Good I dea to be judgemental simply because you never know what the next person is goin through! He's always been like a brotherf to me and will forever be in my prayers. My condolences are lifted up to the Anderson family, I love you all dearly. H. Calmese."
• : "I didn't know you, but may you R.I.P. Stay strong and may God bless the family left behind."