Train Death Sparks Mental Health Debate Among Forest Hills Locals

FOREST HILLS, QUEENS — A man was killed after jumping in front of a subway train at the Kew Gardens-Union Turnpike station on Thursday, police said, prompting a neighborhood conversation about mental health.

Just as emergency responders rushed to find the 32-year-old man, who family requested remain anonymous, dead on the tracks, posts about the incident started to proliferate in neighborhood Facebook groups.

"It's such a sad and depressing time that we are all living in. Please let's all start loving one another, please let's all start supporting one another," posted one local, starting a thread where people commented words of hope and support.

"We all can suffer at times. I say lend an empathetic ear and hand," commented one person.

Another neighbor shared that she overcame thoughts of suicide by asking for help. "Depression, anxiety, stress, severe sadness are all emotions that can be easily hidden. Please check on your neighbors and check on your family and send them love," she wrote.

Others noted that mental health care should be made more accessible, especially amid the pandemic, which has increased rates of stress, anxiety, and depression nationwide (especially among children, according to a recent report).

"New Yorkers have faced overwhelming trauma during this pandemic," said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Dave A. Chokshi in response to a 2020 report on suicide deaths in the city.

While the report found that the number of suicides during the first year of the pandemic remained "stable," as compared to years past, someone in the city still dies from suicide every 16 hours — a sobering statistic that reflect a higher-than-national average suicide rate, according to another recent study.

Like Chokshi, many people in Forest Hills neighborhood Facebook groups advocated for seeking help in the face of mental health crises, but some balked at city services.

One person described ThriveNYC — the city's costly and seemingly unwieldy effort to address mental health in NYC, later rebranded as the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health — as "guilty" for the city's mental health crisis.

"The mental health crisis would not be nearly so bad if not for the people you voted for," the person commented, taking aim at the de Blasio administration.

Another person blamed the crisis on "Democrats and liberals," asserting that necessary pandemic restrictions, like vaccination and mask wearing, are the sources of depression and suicide.

Many neighbors pushed back in response to these commenters, calling it "disgusting" to politicize a discussion about mental health.

Mayor Eric Adams, who himself is a staunch meditation advocate (crediting the practice with helping him to overcome trauma and anxiety), is still in the process of appointing someone to helm the Mayor’s Office of Community Mental Health.

On Friday, Politico reported that Adams is considering Fernando Cabrera, a pastor and former City Council member who supported the mayor's primary run but is widely criticized for taking homophobic positions in the past.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, there are resources to help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day at 1-800-273-8255. Its website offers services including a live chat. For free, 24/7 support in NYC call 888-NYC-WELL, text “WELL” to 65173 or chat online at nyc.gov/nycwell.

Related Article: Person Dies After Jumping In Front Of Train In Queens: NYPD