Brad Delp (lead singer of the band Boston) death was suicide

[wicket]

:cry:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/new_hampshire/articles/2007/03/14/family_rocker_brad_delps_death_was_suicide">Family: Rocker Brad Delp's death was suicide

The family of rock musician Brad Delp said Wednesday his death last week was a suicide.

In a statement relayed through police, the family said gave no other details of Delp's death at his Atkinson home on Friday. Police have said his fiancee, Pamela Sullivan, found him there.

Delp, 55, was the lead singer for the band Boston, which was founded in the 1970s.

"He was a man who gave all he had to give to everyone around him, whether family, friends, fans or strangers," the statement said. "He gave as long as he could, as best he could, and he was very tired. We take comfort in knowing that he is now, at last, at peace."

The statement said Sullivan, Delp's children and his mother, Micki Delp, were grateful for the sympathy they had received. They asked that their privacy be respected.

[jus_the_facts]

1. RIP Brad....

:cry:

[judaspriestess]

2. thats too bad

that makes two with Richard Jeni also committing suicide.

[Alexander]

3. Why on earth would he do this?

Wasn't he getting married, and performing in a band with Barry?

Whatever his reasoning, it's quite sad. I loved his singing.

[Left Is Write]

9. It's impossible to tell why someone feels the way they do, especially looking in from the outside.

I'm sorry for him, and for his family. It's tragic.

[Esra Star]

10. It is usually "relationship" related. If you're scraping the bottom

and something goes wrong, it all seems worthless.

[leftofthedial]

13. sometimes, it's a wonder why more people don't

[skygazer]

14. More than what?

In 1999, suicide was the eighth leading cause of death for all Americans (up from ninth in 1996) and the third leading cause of death for young people aged 15-24.

More people die of suicide than from homicide. In 1996, there were three suicides in the U.S. for every two homicides committed.

There are an estimated 16 attempted suicides for each completed suicide.

http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/calltoaction/fact1.htm


That's just from a quick google of the subject and it's from the Surgeon General's Report of 1999. I recently read a book about PTSD and suicide which stated that more Vietnam vets have killed themselves since the war than died in it.

I think plenty of people do it.

[leftofthedial]

15. more than whatever the other 7 causes were

I'm not diminishing the horror that is suicide

I know more and more hopeless people, it seems, with each passing day.

[skygazer]

19. Oh, I didn't think you were

I don't think most people realize how prevalent suicide is, though. The statistics are pretty grim.

[leftofthedial]

27. and especially maddening in certain demographics

[Pangolin]

22. Just try and get some help though....

I have a chronic pain problem and trying to get medical care is a nightmare. I'm sure people commit suicide simply because they were refused assistance with their pain.

[Esra Star]

29. Pangolin, sorry to hear about your problem.

Welcome to DU. I think you will enjoy this community.:)

[Esra Star]

18. I think DU, as a community, has saved a few.

I don't have any knowledge, but there are some fairly
depressed, close to the edge people here.
This medium is well placed to give hope.

:thumbsup:

[leftofthedial]

28. sometimes all a person needs is just another person

to say "I hear you"

and I'm here with you and for you

[femmedem]

34. More like depression related.

I say this as someone who's fiance committed suicide a decade ago. Our relationship was good. But that did not help his depression.

I had to chime in because if there are other survivors of loved one's suicides reading this, I don't want them to blame themselves.

[Esra Star]

36. Sorry to hear about your situation. I hope you have recovered.

I understand that the "black dog" can undo even the most resilient people.
It is probably the worst aspect of suicide that those left behind
have to put their lives back together.
It is a natural tendency for the survivors to think "if only I.....".

[MnFats]

25. depression is a strange, sometimes inexplicable thing...

....you can be thrown into a pit in short order...

[Melynn]

26. Depression got hold me once

Maybe the worst time in my life. Thrown in the pit indeed.

[wicket]

32. Me too

:hug:

[Taverner]

35. Doesn't surprise me - you could hear it in his voice

On all the Boston songs. There was always that element of sorrow in his voice...

If you don't believe me, listen to "Hitch a Ride". That song is about suicide.

Gonna hitch a ride, head for the other side...

[flamingyouth]

4. It's very sad indeed.

My heart goes out to his family, his many friends and all of his fans. RIP, Brad.

[johnnie]

5. It is always so confusing

He was rehearsing to do some Boston shows, was going to get married and he performed in other groups. There is never an easy answer to this type of death. It is very sad indeed.

[idgiehkt]

7. good grief

that doesn't sound like someone who would commit suicide. How strange. I wonder if it was one of those things where maybe medications he was taking might have interacted? :(

[brentspeak]

6. Who would have known he was in such anguish?

He had a smile for everybody. He was due to get married soon, too. :(

[silvermachine]

16. Often...

...people that end up committing suicide walk a very fine and torturous line for ages before they actually do it. They carry on at work, with friends, and in other situations with little obvious indications that they are in so much pain and despair. They may seem preoccupied or distant but not necessarily suicidal or even appear to be that depressed. This is a process that often takes years to reach it's awful conclusion. In the meantime, they plan trips/vacations, social events, meet work deadlines and obligations, have intimate relationships, etc. In many cases, these feelings actually start at a surprisingly early age and one learns to craft a very convincing front to present to the world. It's not like this is a phony construct, but rather a refining of the traits and characteristics of a particularly idealized aspect of the individual's overall personality; one that they have found to be a successful coping mechanism in the past.

[graywarrior]

8. Man, I think I understand, coming from the same place Brad did.

Depression is deeply ingrained...and I'm not making generalities here. Just saying, if I was suicide, I kinda get it.

[silvermachine]

17. I hear you...

...same here. :pals:

[skygazer]

11. That's so sad

Boston's first album came out when I was 16 - every time I hear it, I'm transported back to those days. Happy times...

RIP, Brad. :cry:

[sammythecat]

12. Depression is all too, and way too, common

I don't know if it's a disease or not, but it's like a disease in that it doesn't discriminate and respects no boundaries.

[steelemagnolia]

20. You Tube attached

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=us0EFNMEkOo

More than a Feeling......brings back memories of a sweeter time in the world.....

[Elidor]

21. So very sad

No matter how well you got it made, depression can wipe you out. My heart goes out to him and his family and friends. May they all find a measure of peace. I'll always remember him smiling and singing his heart out. He was a beautiful person.

:cry:

[bullwinkle428]

23. It's always struck me that suicides tend to be associated with people

that are thought of as nice, gentle, kind, caring, sensitive individuals. It seems rarely if ever that you hear of an arrogant, bullying, loudmouth, asshole type that chooses to take their own life (at least as far as famous individuals and those that I've been familiar with over the years). I don't know if it's because the sensitive type is someone that internalizes everything with the idea that they don't want to burden others in their life...I can relate to that feeling quite a bit.

[Cabcere]

30. I think I understand what you mean

and yes, I can relate to it too. :pals: I've always been pretty sensitive - perhaps overly so - and I was diagnosed with clinical depression when I was sixteen, although looking back I think I was probably suffering from it from at least age eight or so. When I was a little kid and something would make me angry or sad, I wouldn't lash out at people very often - instead, I would take it out on myself. I remember once, when I was probably about seven or eight years old, being really angry at someone (I don't even remember who, or what it was about) and locking myself in my room and scratching my arms up, violently pulling my own hair, and beating myself with my hairbrush in order to inflict pain on myself and no one else. Later in life, these tendencies morphed into cutting, and I have a two-inch scar on my left wrist to prove it. Torturing myself has always been my way of coping with things, and even after several years of therapy, I still tend to internalize my pain quite a bit. So, yeah, I kind of understand where you're coming from. :hug:

[bullwinkle428]

31. I've heard lots of people say they don't understand the

"cutting" or self-mutilation thing, but I think I know where you're coming from. There have been times where I've gotten mad at myself, and would just literally slap myself in the face for being an idiot, feeling like I had it coming, and someone had to do it! I'm sure it's just a way of dealing with things because I'm not comfortable with addressing others directly, and I've spent some time in therapy trying to work on it, but it's still a struggle every day. :hug:

[Kat45]

24. I was shocked when I heard that today.

Like a lot of us, I would have never imagined that.

[Virginia Dare]

33. Very sad, he was a very talented man...n/t