Sue, that was a very nice tribute to Jeff. Even though we come in contact with people throughout our lives, some intimately, some in occasional passing, we truly don't know what goes on in anyone else's head. One of my friends committed suicide in 1990 at the age of 29 and although he was going through a rough patch, he had a young boy and I just couldn't understand the rationale. It was the saddest and strangest funeral I had ever attended. Over 200 people in attendance and friends putting joints and whiskey and pepsi in his coffin and his brothers drinking and dancing on his grave. I had a dream of him a couple of years ago. He was relaxing in a chase lounge with a drink next to him and he looked happy! I said to him, "Dave, you look great....especially since you are dead!"...he just laughed his goofy laugh...and I've felt better about it...weird huh? Annie, thanks for putting yourself out there and putting into perfect words what many of us feel at certain times in our lives: "just a combination of a lot of life's sorrows at a vulnerable time." If you have never, ever had the thought of taking your own life consider yourself very fortunate. Life can turn on a dime at any given moment so appreciate your blessings this very minute and enjoy living every second of every minute of every hour of every day. Duane

I am so, so, sorry for your loss. We would love to hear all about Justin and see a picture of him also. Please feel free to tell us all about him when you feel like it. I too, lost a 19 year old daughter.I know you probably feel like you can't live another 5 minutes. I promise you, as time goes on it will get a little easier. If you would like to meet my 19 year old who is in heaven with your son, click on the site below. Lu Here is a link that might be useful: Christin Cosby Memorial Web Site

Hello popi...I am not an expert by any means when it comes to this. But I can give you my suggestions. If you feel you should talk to a professional please do so.....I would let DS know that you have noticed his change in moods lately and that you are concerned about him. Letting him know that you are not judging him nor do you want to criticize him. You are just concerned. Is there something with a friend, a teacher, school work or perhaps something within himself that is bothering him. Like...is he nervous or anxious about things, afraid now that he is growing up and getting closer to graduation. Maybe his friends are moving in a direction with their behavior that makes him uncomfortable....Is he on the computer a lot? Does he have a "My Space" account? Watch those things if you can....check the history of the computer that he has been on and see what type of sites he visits. Let him know that you are there for him NO MATTER WHAT. and that he can come to you anytime, night or day to talk, to have you listen. I know that many parents feel that the privacy of a teen is a sacred thing and many would not cross the line of reading emails or diaries......I would if I saw change in them. Like the show that you just watched. The girl expressed her feelings in her diary...I would rather she be mad at me then not alive....I wish you well with your son. Mine is 16 also and this is a difficult time for young men. We talk A LOT!.

I heard of it last night, this morning there were tributes on the radio, and at noon during province-wide phone-in, several said that on meeting him, he was friendly and congenial, as we saw in his professional portrayal, and a humble, regular person, as well. One man said that at a trade show in Vancouver, he'd asked whether he could take a picture of their robot, and readily agreed not to use it for commercial purposes, plus spent a few minutes in their display quietly talking, with a bit of humour, as well, I think he said. One lady said that she was so impressed with Morph and Mindy that she named her daughter Mindy ... and considered Morph for her son, but eventually decided against that. It seems that he was scarcely ever miserable, irascible or mean in public, but maintained the black hole entirely for private consideration. One person with experience in the field, the resource guest, said that sometimes it seems that such issues often go along with great capabilities and creative talents, that extra channels of capabilities in such brains tend sometimes to be operational in the dark side, as well. What a tragedy ... that he, who brought so much fun and laughter to many, helping them see the bright side of life ... ... could not find such for himself. The story that I heard was that he'd jammed a belt between a door and its jamb in his bedroom ... and that there was a knife nearby, with blood, as well. What a great shame! Hopefully, this will help us take our mental health more seriously, on the one hand. And remove the stigma from it, as well. Illness is ... illness. ole joyful ... whose Mom, shortly after birth of final son, was in mental hospital, died there (of TB)