tWitch from SYTYCD and Ellen show has died by suicide

[AndreaA]

Thank you for your well thought out response. My hope is that someone will read what happened and think twice about easy access to firearms. My hope is that someone will be saved through this tragedy. I do get what you're saying about his suicide plan, but I also still firmly believe that having the gun made the planning and execution of the plan easier.

You may be right in some cases, but most people who choose to commit suicide are not dissuaded by the method requiring effort. In fact, this man booked a motel room in order to carry through with his plan - likely so that his family wouldn’t find him - and I’m sure that pills would have been far easier.

In any event, it’s a terrible tragedy. Barely knew the name, but recognized him from Ellen, and agree with everyone about how happy he seemed. I wonder if the ending of the show left him feeling unmoored, combined with the isolation of the pandemic and possibly nothing new in the pipeline? He seemed incredibly talented, so it’s very sad that he couldn’t see another way through to a happy ending for himself.

 

[JLTraveling]

You may be right in some cases, but most people who choose to commit suicide are not dissuaded by the method requiring effort. In fact, this man booked a motel room in order to carry through with his plan - likely so that his family wouldn’t find him - and I’m sure that pills would have been far easier.

In any event, it’s a terrible tragedy. Barely knew the name, but recognized him from Ellen, and agree with everyone about how happy he seemed. I wonder if the ending of the show left him feeling unmoored, combined with the isolation of the pandemic and possibly nothing new in the pipeline? He seemed incredibly talented, so it’s very sad that he couldn’t see another way through to a happy ending for himself.

He did have other stuff in the pipeline though. If nothing else, he was the new head judge for SYTYCD. And having been part of that family since 2008, it seems that it would have been a source of strength and pride. But it's so hard to know what's in people's heads.

 

[amylevan]

I am sorry to hear about Twitch as I’ve been a fan since he first appeared on SYTYCD, especially the dance he did with Alex.

But as for the gun debate, 53% of suicides in the US are by firearm (58% for males, only 33% for females). A majority yes, but not some magic card where gun control would eliminate suicides.

 

[Miffy]

IDK what scare quotes are but I was quoting the poster because of the "firearms" mention.

i don't want to scare anyone, my apologies if you are offended by quotation marks.

also, some people mention "firearms" because of the way in which we in America are free to buy and carry firearms. I am not going to get political, but imo the "firearms" remark was not intended to let people know how he committed suicide but to gaslight the issue of "firearms" when it is the issue of MENTAL ILLNESS that should be addressed and like I said it is very sad indeed.

again, my apologies if my quotes were offensive. That is not my intention at all.

I just want to clear up something. The term scare quotes has nothing to do with fear or scaring. Quotes can be used for many things and in your case I believe you were actually just quoting a previous poster.

However, I gather that another poster took the quote marks to be scare quotes. Read below for the definition:

Scare quotes are quote marks used to express skepticism or derision concerning the use of the enclosed word or phrase. (Definition courtesy of Merriam-Webster.)

 

[gometros]

And pills, ropes and exhaust fumes, cliffs and other things.

Never heard of him but I feel bad for his wife and children.

Because those other things take planning or require access. Remove the firearms and you remove the spur of the moment decision.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

I'm a suicide survivor. I tried to take my own life in October 2003. I survived only because at the last possible minute I picked up the phone and called the suicide hotline for help and they sent the paramedics. What stopped me from taking an entire bottle of pills and that being that was the thought of my mother coming home from work and finding me dead on her bed. I was using the method I had closest to hand-had I had a gun, I probably wouldn't be here today. I had a close friend who had a bad argument with his wife, went upstairs, and shot himself through the mouth. Did the gun in the house make it simpler for him in the heat of the moment to do something drastic? Who can say? I will tell you that people who want to die will find a way-look at Robin Williams, who used a belt.

I didn't know who Twitch was, but I know the feeling of utter despair-the feeling that the darkness will never end and might as well be total and forever. It doesn't matter how much you have, how many people are in your life that love you, or what your prospects are. The darkness, which I hold at bay with medication and therapy, is always there. For some, they don't survive it.

 

[Dan Murphy]

A majority yes, but not some magic card where gun control would eliminate suicides.

Eliminate all? Certainly not. Eliminate one maybe, maybe a loved one of yours? Just maybe?

 

[Dan Murphy]

I'm a suicide survivor. I tried to take my own life in October 2003. I survived only because at the last possible minute I picked up the phone and called the suicide hotline for help and they sent the paramedics. What stopped me from taking an entire bottle of pills and that being that was the thought of my mother coming home from work and finding me dead on her bed. I was using the method I had closest to hand-had I had a gun, I probably wouldn't be here today. I had a close friend who had a bad argument with his wife, went upstairs, and shot himself through the mouth. Did the gun in the house make it simpler for him in the heat of the moment to do something drastic? Who can say? I will tell you that people who want to die will find a way-look at Robin Williams, who used a belt.

I didn't know who Twitch was, but I know the feeling of utter despair-the feeling that the darkness will never end and might as well be total and forever. It doesn't matter how much you have, how many people are in your life that love you, or what your prospects are. The darkness, which I hold at bay with medication and therapy, is always there. For some, they don't survive it.

for you, BSH. So happy with your ultimate decision. 's

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Speaking as a grief counselor and as an adult who was bereaved by suicide as a child, I do want to encourage everyone to reconsider the use of the word committed when it comes to suicide. Suicide continues to be highly stigmatized, leading to a lot of disenfranchised grief for those who lost someone in this manner. Use of the word committed perpetuates the idea of suicide being a crime. Twitch died by suicide.

I was going to say something like this but you said it so much better. I friend of mine at church had her son die by suicide. She explained the use of the word committed and I have also been trying to educate people. It is a hard habit to change.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Because firearms in the home made the decision easier. 54% of gun related deaths are suicides and over 50% of the suicides are by firearms. The two go tragically hand in hand. Hopefully someone will learn of tWitch's suicide and remove firearms from the household of someone with mental illness.

I understand why people reacted the way they did because when someone chooses to take their own life yes access to the method should be part of the conversation however the access to the method takes a back seat to why a person was even thinking about taking their own life. Firearms didn't take another life such that we're talking about in school shootings or workplace shootings, the way you mentioned it with all due respect was just out of place. It doesn't mean your thoughts about firearm regulation aren't valid but there's a different conversation with respects to this individual making a decision to take their own life and for that it's not about "when is the right time".

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Because those other things take planning or require access. Remove the firearms and you remove the spur of the moment decision.

Other spur of the moment methods exist. Men are statistically likely to take a more violent route that much is true but it would be inaccurate to make a case that spur of the moment solely exists in the presence of a firearm (as other violent methods exist). It's just part of the conversation that needs to impartially occur. knives (even kitchen ones), razors (like straight blade which aren't entirely uncommon these days), rope (and I don't know many people who don't have that in their household for normal tasks), etc do exist and they can be easily obtained, easily accessed and also are capable of being spur of the moment. Sleeping aids (where women statistically tend to do more frequently than men) are also easily accessed. That's not to remove what people normally want to discuss when it comes to firearms and suicide out of the equation but rather you cannot ignore the other methods as if they don't exist.

The thoughts, emotions, etc of a person in the throes of thinking about taking their own life are not something that can be boiled down to "simply remove X and you remove my impulse".

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It's very sad news. I loved him on SYTYCD.

Speaking as a grief counselor and as an adult who was bereaved by suicide as a child, I do want to encourage everyone to reconsider the use of the word committed when it comes to suicide. Suicide continues to be highly stigmatized, leading to a lot of disenfranchised grief for those who lost someone in this manner. Use of the word committed perpetuates the idea of suicide being a crime. Twitch died by suicide.

I really appreciate you bringing this to light. I cannot say I have thought about it that way at all but I do understand when you explain it.

 

[AnnaS]

Deleted - quoted wrong post

 

[fla4fun]

This is a difficult thread to post to, as I had two friends who died by suicide. One jumped in front of a freight train moving at full speed, and the other, after two other attempts that were not successful, jumped off the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. I had a lot of guilt for a long time, wishing I could have intervened in some way. I imagine that is how his friends and family are feeling right now.

I did not know this man, and did not watch the shows he appeared on, but I feel so much sympathy for his friends and family, particularly his wife and children. The holiday season will be forever marked by this occurrence. My mom passed of natural causes during the holiday season, and it’s still difficult more than a decade later to get through the season. I can’t imagine how hard it will be for his wife and kids with Christmas coming up in about ten days. The whole situation is so sad. I hope he has found the peace he was looking for.

 

[AnnaS]

I'm a suicide survivor. I tried to take my own life in October 2003. I survived only because at the last possible minute I picked up the phone and called the suicide hotline for help and they sent the paramedics. What stopped me from taking an entire bottle of pills and that being that was the thought of my mother coming home from work and finding me dead on her bed. I was using the method I had closest to hand-had I had a gun, I probably wouldn't be here today. I had a close friend who had a bad argument with his wife, went upstairs, and shot himself through the mouth. Did the gun in the house make it simpler for him in the heat of the moment to do something drastic? Who can say? I will tell you that people who want to die will find a way-look at Robin Williams, who used a belt.

I didn't know who Twitch was, but I know the feeling of utter despair-the feeling that the darkness will never end and might as well be total and forever. It doesn't matter how much you have, how many people are in your life that love you, or what your prospects are. The darkness, which I hold at bay with medication and therapy, is always there. For some, they don't survive it.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

for you, BSH. So happy with your ultimate decision. 's

Thank you. I'm glad I'm still here.

 

[JLTraveling]

This is a difficult thread to post to, as I had two friends who died by suicide. One jumped in front of a freight train moving at full speed, and the other, after two other attempts that were not successful, jumped off the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. I had a lot of guilt for a long time, wishing I could have intervened in some way. I imagine that is how his friends and family are feeling right now.

I did not know this man, and did not watch the shows he appeared on, but I feel so much sympathy for his friends and family, particularly his wife and children. The holiday season will be forever marked by this occurrence. My mom passed of natural causes during the holiday season, and it’s still difficult more than a decade later to get through the season. I can’t imagine how hard it will be for his wife and kids with Christmas coming up in about ten days. The whole situation is so sad. I hope he has found the peace he was looking for.

I can relate to everything you're saying (with the exception that I was a HUGE tWitch fan). The love of my life died by suicide more than a decade ago, and I've spent the years since working through my own sense of guilt and wondering whether I could have prevented it. That's a feeling that never truly leaves, you just learn to work through it and carry on.

And my mom also passed during the holiday season, a few years before that. My dad and I have developed some rituals that help us find joy in the season again, but it has definitely been a tough road and the pain remains.
Sending you hugs and peace in this holiday season. It can be so difficult.

 

[White Cat]

I'm a suicide survivor. I tried to take my own life in October 2003. I survived only because at the last possible minute I picked up the phone and called the suicide hotline for help and they sent the paramedics. What stopped me from taking an entire bottle of pills and that being that was the thought of my mother coming home from work and finding me dead on her bed. I was using the method I had closest to hand-had I had a gun, I probably wouldn't be here today. I had a close friend who had a bad argument with his wife, went upstairs, and shot himself through the mouth. Did the gun in the house make it simpler for him in the heat of the moment to do something drastic? Who can say? I will tell you that people who want to die will find a way-look at Robin Williams, who used a belt.

I didn't know who Twitch was, but I know the feeling of utter despair-the feeling that the darkness will never end and might as well be total and forever. It doesn't matter how much you have, how many people are in your life that love you, or what your prospects are. The darkness, which I hold at bay with medication and therapy, is always there. For some, they don't survive it.

Thankfully you made that phone call.

 

[White Cat]

Because those other things take planning or require access. Remove the firearms and you remove the spur of the moment decision.

I can’t see asking every legal holding gun owner to give up their gun for this reason. If someone wants to do themselves in they will.

 

[Lumpy1106]

I'll always remember Twitch from this clip;

So much joy, and such a great influence on everyone he mentored. It seems so strange to me that it used to be late 20s (Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain, Amy Winehouse), but now it seems to be people in their early 40s (Twitch, Chester Bennington) who are reaching their breaking point. I'm at such a loss to understand it. Get help, and KEEP getting help if you find yourself at your end.