Kirsten
11-15-2009, 01:35 PM
Don't know if you have heard about that (I know it was also on cnn), but the goalkeeper of the German soccer team, Robert Enke, has committed suicide on Tuesday. He was only 32 years old. He leaves his wife and a little baby girl the couple has adopted earlier this year, after they lost their own little daughter three years ago (the little girl was born with a serious heart condition and died at the age of two).
The day after Robert Enke's death, the public learned that he has suffered from severe depression for many years. He didn't want to go to a clinic in fear his illness would become public. He feared consequences for his job, and for the adoption of their baby girl. Obviously he couldn't take the pressure anymore, and choose to step in front of a train...
Robert Enke's death seems to have shaken the entire country deeply, it's touching many people. There was a service held the day after his passing, and 30,000 joined a silent march through the city of Hannover. And thousands of candles are burning outside Hannover's soccer stadium.
Today, there was a huge memorial ceremony, the biggest one (except the one for our first chancellor, Adenauer) Germany has ever seen. It has been held in the soccer stadium of Enke's team, Hannover 96, and almost 40,000 people came to say goodbye, including his family and teammates. It was very moving and very tastefully done. In the end, his Hannover 96-teammates carried the casket out of the stadium while "The Rose" was played, it's been really moving. Only one week ago, it's been there in the same place that he last played for his team...
Here are some ccn articles:
Tens of thousands gather for Enke's memorial (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/soccer/11/15/enke.burial.ap/index.html)
Germany stunned by Enke's suicide death (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/soccer/11/11/robert.enke.ap/index.html)
And this is from timesonline:
Germany stunned after 'suicide' of Robert Enke, national team goalkeeper (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article6911627.ece)
Suicide and Robert Enke's widow's tears leave Germany numbed with grief (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article6913198.ece)
Kirsten
The day after Robert Enke's death, the public learned that he has suffered from severe depression for many years. He didn't want to go to a clinic in fear his illness would become public. He feared consequences for his job, and for the adoption of their baby girl. Obviously he couldn't take the pressure anymore, and choose to step in front of a train...
Robert Enke's death seems to have shaken the entire country deeply, it's touching many people. There was a service held the day after his passing, and 30,000 joined a silent march through the city of Hannover. And thousands of candles are burning outside Hannover's soccer stadium.
Today, there was a huge memorial ceremony, the biggest one (except the one for our first chancellor, Adenauer) Germany has ever seen. It has been held in the soccer stadium of Enke's team, Hannover 96, and almost 40,000 people came to say goodbye, including his family and teammates. It was very moving and very tastefully done. In the end, his Hannover 96-teammates carried the casket out of the stadium while "The Rose" was played, it's been really moving. Only one week ago, it's been there in the same place that he last played for his team...
Here are some ccn articles:
Tens of thousands gather for Enke's memorial (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/soccer/11/15/enke.burial.ap/index.html)
Germany stunned by Enke's suicide death (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/soccer/11/11/robert.enke.ap/index.html)
And this is from timesonline:
Germany stunned after 'suicide' of Robert Enke, national team goalkeeper (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article6911627.ece)
Suicide and Robert Enke's widow's tears leave Germany numbed with grief (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/european_football/article6913198.ece)
Kirsten