Marie Osmond son kills self in jump from building

[Catty1]

19. Just 19 years old...


http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/100228/entertainment/centertainment_us_osmond

Marie Osmond son kills self in jump from building

Sat Feb 27, 7:25 PM

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The teenage son of famed Osmond family singer Marie Osmond committed suicide by jumping from a building in downtown Los Angeles, her representative confirmed on Saturday.

Michael Blosil, 18, leapt from his apartment around 9 p.m. (12 a.m. EST) Friday after leaving a note saying he intended to kill himself due to a long battle with depression that made him feel as if he had no friends, celebrity news television program "Entertainment Tonight" reported.

"My family and I are devastated and in deep shock by the tragic loss of our dear Michael and ask that everyone respect our privacy during this difficult time," Marie Osmond said in a statement.

The Osmond Brothers rose to fame in the 1970s and were soon joined onstage by Marie Osmond, who scored her first solo hit with "Paper Roses" in 1973.

Three years later she and her brother Donny began hosting the TV variety show "Donny & Marie," which featured appearances by their brothers and celebrities. More recently, Marie Osmond appeared on the popular TV show "Dancing With the Stars."

She and Donny are currently headlining at Las Vegas' Flamingo hotel. The show was canceled on Saturday following news of the death.

Michael was Marie Osmond's adopted son with her second husband, Brian Blosil, from whom she is divorced.

Marie Osmond suffered postpartum depression in the 1990s and wrote about her experience in a book "Behind the Smile: My Journey out of Postpartum Depression."

(Writing and Reporting by Bob Tourtellotte; Editing by Xavier Briand)

[blue]

I find it hard to pity those that commit suicide, its such a selfish act.

[wombat2u2004]

Poor bugger, he was just a kid.
RIP Michael....no more problems old mate.

[pomtzu]

I find it hard to pity those that commit suicide, its such a selfish act.

Yes - it really is. Unfortunately, the people that are suffering such emotional pain, don't think about how many lives they are impacting when they take their own life.

Just a few days ago, two teenage girls near Philadelphia, took their lives by standing on the train tracks in the path of an oncoming Amtrak Acela high speed train. A third girl jumped out of the way at the last minute. It was determined that it was a suicide pact, as one of the girls was depressed over the death of her boyfriend who was killed by a car while riding his bicycle just a few weeks ago. One of the girls would have turned 16 on Wednesday.

What a senseless waste of life, and what pain that so very many others will carry with them for the rest of their lives..........

RIP Michael
RIP Philly girls

I pray that you have all now found peace.

[Catty1]

I would call it self-centred, but not selfish in the usual sense.

Both Andrew Koenig (41) and Mike here (19) had derpession. Chemicals out of whack in the brain. It can take time to find the right meds.

In any case - and I have been there - one of the worst symptoms is being so 'inside your head' that yes, you can't think of anything or anyone outside yourself.

It's a symptom of a serious illness, not a character defect.

I've never attempted suicide - except for alcoholism and binging on junk food - but I can see where these guys were.

RIP dear souls.

[Catlady711]

I find it hard to pity those that commit suicide, its such a selfish act.

Well you probably wouldn't have any compassion for them when they're alive battling with depression either.

[Catty1]

Amen Catlady711!!! :D

[boomersooner]

I just find it so sad when someone feels there is nothing left for them. Yes, their families and friends are left wondering, for sure, but, man, to be that sad...to think death is the only way out...A couple of months ago, here in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, a little 9 year old was sent to the office for something very minor...He asked to go to the bathroom. Ten minutes later, they went to check on him, found the door locked, got it open, and found him hanging. At his age, he probably didn't realize the finality of it all, but that just about broke my heart. I've taught in the same elementary school for 25 years, and I have seen a few kids over the year who are just sooooooo sad. I wonder what becomes of them.

[Daisy and Delilah]

We just had a story of three girls getting killed by a train in Melbourne(I think). Apparently, it was an accident. They were playing on the tracks and couldn't get out of the way. So sad.

Andrew Koenig's Dad made a statement, addressing people that are contemplating suicide. He wanted them all to know that there are people that care, even though you feel as if there isn't.

I feel very bad for someone that commits suicide and all their family members. The person that is depressed enough to actually take their life is feeling hopeless and helpless and feels there is no way out for them.
It is an overwhelming and debilitating chemical imbalance in the brain that causes them to believe that nothing in their life is good so why would they feel like staying on this earth.
It's a feeling that can't be described or felt until a person actually experiences it.

[pomtzu]

I feel very bad for someone that commits suicide and all their family members. The person that is depressed enough to actually take their life is feeling hopeless and helpless and feels there is no way out for them.
It is an overwhelming and debilitating chemical imbalance in the brain that causes them to believe that nothing in their life is good so why would they feel like staying on this earth.
It's a feeling that can't be described or felt until a person actually experiences it.

You're right Terry - most of the time it is a chemical imbalance - but what those girls in Philadelphia did leaves me baffled. Yes - the girl who lost her boyfriend was hurting - she even wrote in Facebook about how she didn't want to go on without him - but never let on to parents or adults, how she was feeling. And then to talk two of her friends into doing this horrible act with her, and telling two more friends what they had planned??? - why??? The two friends that she told said they thought they had talked her out of it and never told anyone that might have been able to get her help,. There were so many signs - if only someone had done something about it.

The people that were in any way involved in this - even total strangers - will forever be changed. Not only family, friends and relatives, but what about that train engineer, the Amtrak and local police who had to clean up the grizzly accident scene, and possibly even some of the passengers on the train. And I speak from experience when I say that people even remotely connected will be affected. My ex was a cop with Amtrak for many years, and he saw more than his share of bad scenes - something that went with the job - but none the less traumatic.

I've just been troubled by the whole thing - very upsetting to me. Maybe it's because I have a beautiful granddaughter just a couple of years older than these beautiful girls were..............:( So very sad.

[boomersooner]

I don't know what the "cutoff" age is supposed to be for fully realizing the finality of it, but I feel some teenagers...especially young ones don't realize that....I guess...I don't know....That is the problem..no one really knows why they do it.....so sad for a young person to feel so hopeless, they can't see any light.....

[Catty1]

I hope that anyone who can encourages organizations in their communities that are working to remove the stigma of mental illness, and make it OKAY to report a person in trouble.

[wombat2u2004]

Who knows the depths that these people sink to tho. I mean you'd have to really be a long way down before you could actually kill yourself.

[carole]

Blue your lack of compassion simply disgusts me.

I feel i can speak on this subject,until you have walked in their shoes ,you have no idea what you are talking about.

Suicide is neither cowardly, or selfish or anything even close to that.

Why did you even come in this thread just to post such a horrible comment.
Yes it really offends me and I will tell you why further down in my post.

I can only feel deep sadness for Marie Osmond and her family and of course her poor tormented son.

To take one's life, you are at a point where nothing matters anymore, you cannot possibly even begin to understand how these people must be feeling.

They cannot even consider anyone else, they are so tormented and to a point they cannot see anyway out except to take their own life..and yes they are not thinking right.

And yes i have experienced the pain of loosing a family member to suicide, my Aunty took her own life about five years ago, she seemed to have everything, she was wealthy, a loving husband, gorgeous grandchildren, and seemed happy enough.

She had experienced severe depression and was on medication for it, but sadly it was not enough, her own daughter is a medical doctor and could not help her.and no-one knew she was about to do this either..to this day we are left with why? we don't really know except that the depression was overwhelming and nothing could make her feel better.

So please before you post,think a little please.

My sincere condolences go out to Marie and her family,how awful to loose someone so young this way.,such a tragic loss.

[wombat2u2004]

Suicide is neither cowardly, or selfish or anything even close to that.

To take one's life, you are at a point where nothing matters anymore, you cannot possibly even begin to understand how these people must be feeling.


Yep, gotta agree with you there Carole.
You've hit the nail right on the head.
My thoughts exactly.

[Alysser]

It's fairly easy for a teenager to sink down to the depths of depression in this day in age with the pressures of acceptance, bullying, drugs, school, grades, competition, jobs, pressuring parents, etc, etc. I don't think it's fair to call suicide selfish when you have no idea how it's like to feel that way.

May he RIP, such a shame.. :(

[phesina]

Thank you, Carole.

[carole]

You know Phesina i am not the only one to have had this type of tragedy in their family, many on PT know exactly how it feels, and when i see a thoughtless comment posted like that, I simply cannot let it be,it was even thoughtless to poor Marie Osmond and her family.

I am not sure that Blue mean't to hurt or offend,he was just saying how he felt i guess, but i just don't think it was appropriate for him in this thread.

Candace i would not even call it self-centered, IMO they don't even care enough about themselves to feel that way,you know i think it takes courage to end your own life,i could never do it.

Anyhow let us move on and keep the thread about what it mean't to be about, the tragic loss for the Osmond family,may they find some comfort at this very difficult and sad time in their lives.

I hope their strong belief in God will help to ease the pain and suffering they are going through right now.

[Catty1]

Carole - I do wish to explain that using 'self-centred' was a way of trying to describe how very wrapped up in one's own head one gets when severely depressed - which I have been.

It is a horrible symptom, and not a weakness of character at all.:love:

ETA: Michael was 18. :(

ETA 2: November 14, 2007 http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b56742_marie_osmond_my_sons_in_rehab.html


The singer confirmed Wednesday that her 16-year-old son, Michael, entered rehab last week for undisclosed treatment.

"My son Michael is an amazing young man, shown through his courage in facing his issues. As his mother, I couldn't be more proud of him," she said in a statement. "The press and public have always been kind and gracious in the past, and I know they will continue to respect our privacy during this time."

[carole]

I understand, thanks for explaining Candace,I mis-understood, but should have known that you would have mean't it kindly.:love:

[DJFyrewolf36]

Ive been there...I came back from the dead technically. I overdosed on OTC pain medication and almost died. I was told in the hospital that my liver function would be impared...I got lucky that after a while everything went back to normal and I didnt have lasting damage.

What was I thinking? I just wanted everything to stop. At the time I had just moved back in with my parents after a rough time at military college. I was 18, involved hevily with TWO women (long story) and I was working a very stressful job with a LOT of responsibility. I had been dealing with prolonged depression as well. At the time I felt like there was only one way to make everything go away at once without being around to care if anyone thought I was a failure.

I feel for these people. They will never understand what their children were going through because they weren't able to tell them. It was only through coming back that I had the courage to come forward to my parents about my depression and admit that I needed help. Before something catastrophic happened, I thought I could deal with it on my own.

[carole]

Thank you for sharing such a personal situation, i think it really helps people to understand.

[DJFyrewolf36]

Thank you for sharing such a personal situation, i think it really helps people to understand.

Id like to think that if by sharing my story even one person is saved, good has come out of my situation. Depression is very serious and it shouldn't be dismissed as a disease for the "weak minded".

[caseysmom]

How sad and tragic. Carol I am sorry for what you went through.

DJfye I am glad you weren't succesful in your attempt. Thanks for sharing for others.

[carole]

I so agree with you, I have known depression myself, and it still comes around,so yes so many people dealing with it.

Some people are just genetically inclined that way, and there is not much you can do about it,but if you know that and are aware as i am because of the tragedy in our family, i really keep tabs on it..and those around me.