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Friday, August 24, 2012

Breaking the Silence


My nephew ended his life on August 6.

He was 25 years old, a victim of depression.  Athletic, full of life, suave. Tall, lanky, generally quiet, his laughter was a pleasure to watch and hear. He was generous and loved animals.

There are any number of queries about such poorly-understood, shocking deaths. We have been plaguing ourselves with the whys and what-ifs and looking around us and at ourselves to make sense of what happened.  We all go through depression to some extent but when it becomes terminal it is difficult to explain, if not in fact quite incomprehensible.

It is totally heartbreaking for the parents and siblings (in this case his twin brother), and even for extended family and friends.  It thoroughly saddened people who are not directly connected or know him. To quote my friend Dipali who wrote this tribute for Humair.

The mental anguish he must have gone through that drove him to such a devastating, decisive final action will always be a mystery.  And a source of everlasting regret and sorrow for all of us.

May his soul rest in peace, and may God give his parents and brother the courage and strength to carry on after this most unkindest cut of all.