Reply #23: My first experience with death was at 5 when our neighbor killed himself

[wicket]

We were just starting dinner when my dad broke the news that the man up the road had died. I remember asking him what happened to John and dad said he had taken some pills and had gone to sleep. I asked why and he said that he said that John left a note saying he didn't feel like living any more. My dad was clearly very upset at the loss of this kind friend and neighbor but he did the best he could to explain it to myself and my younger siblings (we were 5, 3 and 1.5, respectively). I had a huge lump in my throat and couldn't finish dinner, that was the day I realized that life isn't always roses and that bad things happen to good people.