By Phil Riske | Senior Reporter/Writer
Writing about gloomy things during the holiday season is difficult, but one must be dealt with.
Suicide.
Reports say a dozen war veterans are committing suicide — daily!
We recently published a story stating suicide is the leading cause of all deaths in Utah, a state in the so-called “suicide corridor,” which includes Arizona.
In my home state of Wyoming, Casper has led national suicides on a per capita basis. Studies have found the city’s isolation in the middle of the state and its constant wind are partially the causes of the self-taking of life.
Two of my high school friends took their lives, shocking our class.
Jim Z. was a brilliant student who wanted to become a physician. He came to realize, however, he didn’t want to make the effort to control his diabetes and chose to have it kill him.
David S., who was a member of my wrestling team and a promising Olympic star, purposely drove his car into a tree, killing him.
In the early 80s, I delivered a eulogy for a friend in Arizona who shot himself , explaining in a letter to us he had been unfairly accused of a crime and could not stand the thought of being imprisoned.
My first experience with suicide haunts me to this day and pushes me to continue to be make public this social and health epidemic.
I was seriously burned in a fire at the age of 15. Fortunately, there was Dr. Richard H., a surgeon in our town who was experienced in such injuries. There were times during my numerous skin grafts over a two-year period, the doctor would do small procedures in his office so I didn’t have to be hospitalized. After them, he would carry me in his arms to the car.
He became more than my doctor.
Several years later, I was told he went home for lunch one day and shot his wife . . . and himself.
