Recently, to my misfortune - I found out that a month ago (well, about two months) a twelve year old boy shot and killed himself in my area. Don't worry I'm not giving out any specifics or anything, but when I was told - I was shocked. I wasn't but maybe ten minutes away from the site where the boy shot himself. I read up on all the investigations and even visited the detective assigned to his case. It apparently was not bullying or anything of that nature. I'm not convinced - but what can you do when no one steps forward with information?

It bothers me that a twelve year old boy killed himself not fifteen minutes from my home. No one there to hold him, no one to talk to. And no one even had a clue he was suffering, as it often the case with suicides. I got the information and visited the boy's grave one day and asked him
"Why?"
What was it?
You know?
It didn't take long before my shirt was drenched in tears.
I don't even know the kid and my heart ACHES to know what went wrong?
What was so bad you had to end it all?
My thoughts are constantly on this boy - even though I didn't know him, or see him for that matter. Just knowing he was a perfectly happy little boy and then one day....

If anything - hold your YFs, your kids, your nieces and nephews and never let them go (metaphorically : p) In hopes that they would come to you with a problem if the had one. This kid obviously thought that no one would have listened. For the record, he was wrong.

-Youth??