Recent Suicides - sons of celebrity's

I just read that Marie OSMOND's 18yr old son, Micheal BLOSIL took his own life on Friday Feb 26.  He had been subject to depression and in Nov 2007 he was admitted to drug rehab the same week as his celebrity mother fainted while performing on "Dancing with the Stars" and his grandfather passed away.  I found it odd that no mention of his father, Brian BLOSIL - in the article.

Also last week, actor Andrew KOENIG - son of Walter KOENIG (the original Star Trek TV series character "Chekov") - was found dead in Stanley Park in Vancouver.  He had arrived before the Olympics and was reported missing by friends.

It is standard policy that the press not report suicides so as not to encourage "copy-cat" behaviours.  But obviously these intentional deaths were reported because of their parents celebrity status - the main caveat for breaking this press code of conduct.  This alone is distasteful as it is undoubtably a sad time for these parents who may be left alone in their grief, yet it also elicits compassion for them by the public.

But one can't not be struck by the thought that even with all of these fellows obvious family support, they felt compelled to take their lives.  I think it says alot about men's attitude to their own perceived sense of failure, and we know that we have faced an untreated epidemic in that regard for decades now.

(image courtesy: The Globe & Mail)