Baby Boomer Suicides: Raising Awareness

A couple of years ago, on the exact same day, within the exact same hour, two individuals I knew, both sharing the same first name, living on opposite sides of the country, decided to put an end to their lives.  What, on the surface, seemed like such a very odd coincidence, is really indicative of a growing problem in our nation.

This article from The Washington Post reports on the alarming growth rates of suicide among our nations’ baby boomers.  The article theorizes on causes for this dilemma and shares some rather scary statistics.  This article also includes the story of one of the men I knew, Mike Murray. Becky Murray, the woman in the accompanying video, is my cousin.

Although I attended Becky and Mike’s wedding many years ago, being geographically distanced, I did not see them too often throughout the years – just on special family occasions. I am proud of Becky for having the strength and courage to so openly tell her story in an attempt to help raise awareness of this growing problem and, possibly, save somebody else’s loved one along the way.

The other gentleman I knew was a neighbor.  We had met on a couple of occasions and he had come over to our house to watch the Apple Cup football game one year.  His story is not openly told and I will respect what seems to be his family’s wishes to not share any details.  I only mention it because the eerie coincidence helps validate, in my mind, this growing epidemic in America.

I was just close enough to these two gentlemen to receive the news within 24 hours of their passing.  My wife and I, being the only people in the world that had a connection with both men, were shocked by the coincidence.  Since that day, I have met a number of other people that have experienced the tragedy of suicidal deaths in their families from the baby boomer generation.

I share this information simply to raise awareness and to pass on The Washington Post article that my cousin shared with me.  I hope that anyone reading the article, feeling despair and desperation in their lives, or worried for a loved one, will think to reach out for help.  I am sure there are others reading this who can post particular numbers and locations where you can go for help in our community.

This is one statistic I hope you are never personally touched by.