This is not the usual type of post I have on my blog, but felt compelled to share a little story of my own with the recent news of Anthony Bourdain. It’s a topic that hits home for me and many others, so I felt it important to share. Bourdain is, and will always be a major inspiration for my blog. He’s a legend.
I almost didn’t get out of bed today. It was as if there were a ton of bricks on my chest. I opened up my Twitter app and read that Anthony Bourdain committed suicide. This is the second high profile suicide, or should I say celebrity suicide, this week. Though Kate Spade’s news was tragic in its own right, Bourdain’s hit me on a whole other level. It was as if I lost a close friend I never really knew.
Over a decade ago I felt a similar pain to today, and that was when I received a call from a distant aunt regarding my stepfather. At the time my brother and I were in college in Los Angeles and it was around our first anniversary moving from a small town in New Hampshire to a big city. My mother and stepfather both still resided in New Hampshire, and my aunt I believe was somewhere in Florida. The call was sorta like today’s Twitter Trending section in that you don’t want to see a person’s name on it since usually it ends with a RIP. Similarly, I haven’t spoke with my aunt in years, so a call from her was a little off putting and I immediately knew something was wrong.
Look how happy they were
I didn’t know Anthony Bourdain or Kate Spade personally, but I did know my step father, David Eric Beauchamp. Though the former (being Bourdain) made me feel like a close friend through his adventures on CNN’s Parts Unknown, I didn’t really know him. I’m telling you this because one of the most common statements a victim of suicide will hear is, “but they looked so happy.” OR, which in my opinion is even worse, “was there trouble at home?”
Trust me, the ridiculous, ignorant comments and questions go on and on.
The demons inside
Celebrity aside, the first thing suicide sleuths want to do is analyze the person’s life. Whether or not they have all the money, cars, homes, and Instagram-worthy lifestyle, you truly don’t know the demons that person was battling inside. My stepfather LOVED my mother so much. My mother has NEVER loved or known love like Dave showed her. And I’m grateful for that. In the beginning I was confused, mad, and hurt that he would leave us all, but I now know he was battling something I personally will never understand.
Please talk to somebody
Suicide should not be taboo topic. If you’re a parent reading this, please talk to your kids and let them know you love them. Tell them that they can talk to you about anything. If you yourself are struggling with thoughts of suicide and feel like you have no-one to confide in, please dial one of the suicide hotlines from this list.
I’m also happy to chat. Feel free to Tweet at me if you need someone to talk to. Find me on Twitter here: @JoesDaily.
RIP Anthony, Kate, and Dave, as you start your new adventure in the Parts Unknown.
