Reply #97: I had a friend who committed suicide in high school.

[girl gone mad]

Actually, several friends and acquaintances committed or attempted suicide during my school years. There was a highly publicized epidemic in my city. But this one in particular stands out to me, both because we were close and because it came as such a complete shock when i was told the next day by a mutual friend.

To this day, I just don't understand why he did it. I'm still heartbroken and haunted by the whole affair.

Did it diminish my respect for him? Not at all, though since having a child, I began to empathize with his mother in a way that I hadn't before.

The way I see it, he was young and naive. If he had mental illness or emotional problems, he kept them well hidden. Most people who committ suicide do so because of mental illness and depression, so who am I to judge if I haven't walked in their shoes?