Marie Osmond's Reflections on Her Son's Suicide - Part I

Marie Osmond’s Reflections on Her Son’s Suicide:

A Message of HOPE (Hearing Other People’s Experiences)

Recently, I watched an interview with Marie Osmond who tragically loss her son to an impenetrable depression and suicide.  Although Osmond originally agreed to the interview so that she could clarify circumstances relating to her son’s death in light of so many swirling rumors, she accomplished the far greater purpose of encouraging and empowering other parents.  The interview possesses several invaluable gems of wisdom borne of her most difficult experiences as a wife, mother and celebrity.  I wish to share a few that I gleaned as I listened attentively to her heartfelt pain and most genuine appeal for a better life for the parents and children in the audience.

First, Osmond appeals to all parents to appreciate the depth of pain that a truly depressed person experiences.  People afflicted with this disease cannot “just snap out of it!”  As their daily pain deepens, their sense of hopelessness expands.  This correlation of agony and aimlessness paints a picture of impossibility as it relates to a cure on their mental, emotional and psychological horizon.  The eerie thought that their family and friends as well as the world would be better off without them takes roots and grows.  In time, this sinister acorn manifests as an oak tree that can only be removed permanently via suicide.   Clinically depressed persons eventually convince themselves that death possesses the only option for release and freedom from their intractable and internal pain.  Coupled with longstanding drug addiction and alcoholism, Osmond’s son’s depression culminated in his jumping from an eighth floor balcony of a high rise apartment building in February of this year. 

He did so approximately a month after entering college; his admission had been a lifelong dream and goal as he was a perpetual “F” student who had resolved that he would never be admitted to college.  Additionally, a month prior to his suicide, he responded to a question about his well-being by saying “I’m as happy as I have ever been.”  Osmond strongly suggests that parents recognize the tricky nature of the rollercoaster of depression.  Practically speaking, see the glaring signs, listen to the warnings, take action and get substantial help.

Second, Osmond posits that parents actually teach their children very little.  In actuality, children teach parents how to become and be strong in order to fulfill their parental duties.  What an amazing thought!  Even more incredible is the humility of Osmond as she shares such a priceless gem of experiential wisdom.  Parenthood is the one job in which successes and failures unfold purely from faithfulness and willingness to do the next right thing.  It seems that all aspects of parenthood involve “on-the-job-training,” as a manual for perfection does not exists. 

Moreover, children, as they demand that we assist them in discovering who they are and their unique gifts, coerce parents to mature.  You cannot give someone something that you do not have.  Parents dig deeply within their characters to find the knowledge, understanding, wisdom and character to encourage and empower their children in actualizing their God given talents and natural abilities.  Simply stated, children ironically help their parents to grow up.