14 Year Old Prodigy dead, apparent suicide

[Chip NoVaMac]

There was a small article in the Washington Post yesterday. It shed more light on the boy's brief but filled life. The parents seem to feel that he may have started to feel that life offered so few challenges. He was able to complete a semesters worth of work in just 10 days.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

If he were such a genius, he shoulda jumped off a cliff or bridge instead of blowing his brains out and having his parents discover his bloody body. Someone has to clean up the mess. Geez, if I take my own life, at least I would think of the other people before i go.

Little cruel IMO.

Having dealt with suicides on a peer counseling level and a personal level; most that attempt or complete suicide do not think of those that they leave behind. And those that do, choose their methods as to send a message to those they left behind.

By your words, it seems that you may never have had a deep depressive episode. In many suicide cases it is the desire of the individual to "ease" their "pain". That the focus is on them at that point for the most part.

Most want to find an avenue that will "complete the job", without regard to the rest of the family. Some are concerned about appearances, both physical, fiscal, and mental. On the physical side, some wish to not cause disfiguring damage to their bodies for what ever reason. On the fiscal side, some want to leave in tact their life insurance, since insurance does not cover suicides. Think about that when you hear about someone "falling asleep" at the wheel of their car.

On the mental side, the method chosen is directly related to their desire to really end their "pain". For there are those that the pain is so real and endurable that there is only one answer. Then you have those that their pain is "caused" by family and friends. They have no desire to die in reality, but they hope they can get the sympathy that is lacking in their lives.

Sometimes it a desire to just end the "pain" and send a message to those these individuals felt had ignored or slighted them. I remember one call from a guy on the day before Thanksgiving, that wanted to kill himself on his parents front porch on Thanksgiving Day. His reasoning was that his parents refused to allow his lover of two or three years to attend Thanksgiving Day dinner - because it would upset the joyousness of the day. His thoughts were along the line to ruin Thanksgiving for his family for the long term.

I will say that after reading the article in the Post yesterday, I came away admiring the mother and father. They morn the loss of their son, but also realize that there were factors that were beyond their reach or control.

 

[hob]

Nobody seems to have picked up on the fact that many of his major organs were donated... He committed suicide by shooting himself in the head vs. poisoning himself (and the rest of his organs). Maybe he felt he could contribute the most to society by helping other people live? It's a tricky subject...

 

[iGary]

1. Suicide is the third leading cause of death behind car accidents and homicide among teenagers.

2. This kid most likely had a very difficult time figuring out whether he was supposed to be an adult (in the adult world he was living) or to be a 14-year-old who is supposed to be chasing girls, partying with friends and finding their place in the world. I have a feeling this child was a very confused and frustrated boy.

3. Depressed people often do not display their emotions. I was once on a suicidal depression track, and people that know me today said they would have never guessed it.

4. The boy is dead. We'll never know.

RIP young one.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Nobody seems to have picked up on the fact that many of his major organs were donated... He committed suicide by shooting himself in the head vs. poisoning himself (and the rest of his organs). Maybe he felt he could contribute the most to society by helping other people live? It's a tricky subject...

Good point. And given the Law and Order:CI last night a very strong one. In some ways we might need to look at the "sanctity of life" issue more closely (without the biases of religious beliefs).

For should we really try to stop someone from ending their life, period. Regardless of age or health?

We are focused on this boy's age I think. But his thought process is (was) so far removed from our own; we can not truly apply our values or education in deciding.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

1. Suicide is the third leading cause of death behind car accidents and homicide among teenagers.

2. This kid most likely had a very difficult time figuring out whether he was supposed to be an adult (in the adult world he was living) or to be a 14-year-old who is supposed to be chasing girls, partying with friends and finding their place in the world. I have a feeling this child was a very confused and frustrated boy.

3. Depressed people often do not display their emotions. I was once on a suicidal depression track, and people that know me today said they would have never guessed it.

4. The boy is dead. We'll never know.

RIP young one.

Gary, you and I are closer with each post IMO.

As mentioned, that many car accidents are truly suicides for the sake of the family or or insurance.

On your second point, this was borne out by the comments from his parents.

On the third, you and I are so close to each other. It was back in 1976-77 that I thought of suicide because of college pressures and family pressures. In the eyes of my Dad, I was a failure. And the only thing that I feared most at that time was failing at the "final act" of suicide. That and counseling, allows me to speak today.

What is also not spoken here is the prejudice for those that recognized their mental illness and did something about it, and for those that mental health issues are a stigma, a sign of weakness - and therefore should not be addressed.

 

[rainman::|:|]

For the record, while I've met thieves in Mensa, I've never met any murders (that i know of), but that doesn't mean much... The one common thing from all Mensans and Nines Club members that I have noticed is pleasure-seeking behavior... Drug use, alcohol use, escapism (whether sex, food, reading or chocolate), shrinks, or a combination of all of them. I would agree 100% with the assessment that mental illnesses increase as intelligence does.

 

[iGary]

What is also not spoken here is the prejudice for those that recognized their mental illness and did something about it, and for those that mental health issues are a stigma, a sign of weakness - and therefore should not be addressed.

My favorite one is "just snap out of it."

Like we wouldn't if we could.

Yeah, I'd much rather sit around and feel sorry for myself than lead a productive and vital life.

Counseling saved me too!

 

[MarkCollette]

In my intro sociaology course, they showed that young males commit suicide around 4 or 5 times more than young females. They looked at some other groups, and figured that suicide results from lacking social connections. So, it kind of makes sense that someone who is set apart, even by being set above, others, would feel alone, and want to die. Plus factor in who knows what else was going on in his life.

If the kid was already done high school, I think it's fair to say that he was probably not well connected with his peers. I understand that he was ahead in math and physics, but what about social studies, english, music, gym, french, history, shop, home ec, drama?

Perhaps, when a child is accelerated in school, they should only be accelerated in math and sciences, but remain in the rest of the classes with their peers? Or simply cover the same topics at a greater depth or nuance?

Being in classes with others, even when they're behind you, allows you to learn how they think and react, which is essential knowledge in life. Plus, you're there with them. At the very least, if someone is done all their studies, they could spend a few years taking all of the optional fun classes. That kid could have been taking university level math, while still doing plays in drama, and basket ball in gym with kids his own age. I'm sure the additional recreation and social connectiveness would have improved his life somewhat.

 

[0098386]

Ah, but we don't know how determined (and never will)... there are 100 ways, but a squeeze on a trigger is so easy, fast and irreversible.

and apparently 80% of suicides dont/didnt really want to kill themselves. at least thats what i saw on Casualty.

i agree with Mark. even if you are smart do not bring a kid out of contact of people your own age. mini case study; a guy in my old school took his maths GCSEs 3 years early because he really was skilled. but he was so isolated and attempted suicide twice.

shame that. sounded like such a smart kid too.

 

[Stewie]

Ah, but we don't know how determined (and never will)... there are 100 ways, but a squeeze on a trigger is so easy, fast and irreversible.

I wouldn't say that it is easy to put a gun to your head and pull the trigger. That last little bit one need to move their finger is a very hard thing to do.

 

[JeffTL]

I understand that this kid was in fact what most of us would recognize as either a college dropout or very part-time; Venango, NE is a little podunk along the Interstate, and he was probably bored senseless. Should have been taking a full load.


Secondly, with all due respect to the deceased and bereaved, playing the piano by ear does not make you any sort of genius, regardless of your IQ -- it only means you can play the piano, no matter what Oprah says.

Thirdly, I don't think it's healthy to tout a regular smart kid as some sort of genius -- because at a certain point she or he can't be so touted anymore, and is just an intelligent (and hopefully well-educated) person. Highly intelligent people are everywhere you look; most have not been paraded in a freak show since a small age, which cannot be good for the psyche.

Fourthly, my IQ is 186 (or was when I was seven; it has probably decreased over the years, as such things do) and I am:

* Perfectly sane
* Not suicidal
* A devout Presbyterian -- not all smart people are atheist, regardless of what the atheists will have you believe
* An alumnus of the UNL Independent Study High School. Believe me, I can't imagine how you can do two years of it in six months as the late Mr. Bremmer apparently did, with all the required paperwork. The tests have to be proctored by a third party, who also has to sign all your homework. It prepared me well for college

 

[zimv20]

No need to be, I don't feel the least bit embarrassed. I am aware of how many people, both "geniuses" and otherwise have died at their own hands. However, how is it possible to feel the slightest amount of pity for someone that kills themselves? Depressed? Perhaps, who here has not been. Sad? Lonely? I doubt those are "unique" feelings that only they experience.

They made a choice, and a VERY UNINTELLIGENT one. I don't care if they invented the single most important thing ever - They still made THE STUPIDEST decision in life they could have -

intelligence and mental health are orthogonal concepts. you're confusing the two.

 

[virividox]

such a sad thing. its too bad that he couldnt cope with what life was giving him or felt unchallenged.

 

[neverever]

I'm curious to what kind of music he listened to.

 

[feyd_ehway]

Everything can be reduced to Simply That when you are not involved...

That's really quite narrowminded. Can you imagine the depth of hurt this kid must have felt to do such a thing?
The little goth kid cutting her arms up for attention is simply that, but to go for something you know there's no way out of, that's not something I could comprehend.

everyone has their own coping skills, unfortunately for this young man, it appears he knew no other than suicide.
ideally parents would teach every kid healthy coping skills, allowing problems to be dealt with in more constructive ways...
i am not suggesting in anyway that Brandenn E. Bremmer had bad parents or experienced some sort of tragic event in his life... for i do not know.

and to neverever: i read that he was into making new age music and his parents plan to release his second cd soon.


and for the record not all cutters are "little goth" girls who yearn for outside attention.