I had a conversation today with an 82 year old gentleman that I know. We were walking up the street together.
He is half blind and declining physically and mentally.
He told me: "Brian, I'm an old man now, going blind and declining. I'm thinking of shooting myself."
He had guns in the house but his partner removed them when his vision declined. His 17 year old Grandson took his friend's Dad's gun and shot himself 2 years ago. Yikes. That made me take this threat more seriously.
We kept walking and I explained why I didn't think he should do that for about 10 minutes:
- His partner and son would be devastated.
- The first responders that cleaned up his carcass would be traumatized.
-He may only permanently injure himself and would live as a "vegetable" for years in a nursing home.
- His legacy would be hurt.
- I still want to see him for years to come.
I told him stories about people who jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge and survived. They all regretted jumping as soon as they hit air.
I reminded him to be grateful he's not in chronic pain.
I also told him that he could just stop life extending treatment and let nature take it's course. (He's agnostic and doesn't believe in life after death.)
After I was done talking, he said: "Wow, good points. I wouldn't want to hurt my partner like that. She's the best thing that ever happened to me."
He is half blind and declining physically and mentally.
He told me: "Brian, I'm an old man now, going blind and declining. I'm thinking of shooting myself."
He had guns in the house but his partner removed them when his vision declined. His 17 year old Grandson took his friend's Dad's gun and shot himself 2 years ago. Yikes. That made me take this threat more seriously.
We kept walking and I explained why I didn't think he should do that for about 10 minutes:
- His partner and son would be devastated.
- The first responders that cleaned up his carcass would be traumatized.
-He may only permanently injure himself and would live as a "vegetable" for years in a nursing home.
- His legacy would be hurt.
- I still want to see him for years to come.
I told him stories about people who jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge and survived. They all regretted jumping as soon as they hit air.
I reminded him to be grateful he's not in chronic pain.
I also told him that he could just stop life extending treatment and let nature take it's course. (He's agnostic and doesn't believe in life after death.)
After I was done talking, he said: "Wow, good points. I wouldn't want to hurt my partner like that. She's the best thing that ever happened to me."
US suicides hit an all-time high last year
About 49,500 people took their own lives last year in the U.S., the highest number ever. That's according to new government data posted Thursday.
apnews.com
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