Some months back, when looking for an obituary of a deceased former co-worker I accidentally landed on the public web page for the regional coroner's office.

Each death recorded there has a sketch of a story--not a narrative, but in how the form is filled out. We know the name, date of birth and death, if they died with someone there or were found after the fact, if there were police involved. We learn where they lived, where the event occurred, and where they died. We frequently know how they died, if the coroner has to determine the cause of death.

Most often on that daily page are the elderly and the newborn. Surprising how many babies die every day. There are a number of middle-aged men and women who to me seem very young to die, and I can only guess that they were killed by disease with their doctors in attendance because a cause won't be stated.

The suicides are all ages, over about 10 years old. Yes, that young. I've seen suicides listed as young as 12 in the last six months. Many are young men, teens and early 20s. But women also and of varying ages. Many hang themselves in closets, a few have been found in trees and storage buildings. Many shoot themselves. The toxicology reports take a while so if I think to look back at dates 6 to 8 weeks back I might see that suicide by overdose occurred.

Is it morbid to read the coroner's report? No moreso than reading the obituary. Many names at the coroner's office don't make it into the paper, and many in the obits never went through the coroner's office. It's a way to pause and consider life, and the hole that is created when it ends. It is so sad to see a young person snuff out their life because of depression and disappointment. I have dealt with depression myself, many people have, but I don't know the depth that leaves one considering suicide. I watch my children grow and go through relationships and have friends come and go and I offer to listen when they will share news and I keep my fingers crossed when they won't. No one is immune. Cherish friends and family always, because we don't know when the last day will be. I think reading the coroner's page has made me a more thoughtful, considerate person.

SRS