DON'T GIVE UP- RIP ANDREW

I really feel very sad for Walter Koenig, who played Chekhov on Star Trek and who I had the pleasure of meeting on a couple of occasions.

The LA Times is reporting that his son, Andrew, was indeed found dead in Vancouver.

Here is an excerpt from the latest story from the LA Times:

A tearful Walter Koenig appeared at a press conference Thursday evening to confirm that a body found earlier in the day in Vancouver's Stanley Park was that of his son, missing "Growing Pains" actor Andrew Koenig.

"My son took his own life," Walter Koenig said, wife Judy at his side.

Both parents and about 10 of Andrew's friends had returned to Stanley Park -- which at 1,000 acres is larger than New York's Central Park -- on Thursday morning to conduct their own search. They split into teams, Walter said, and after about two hours a call came from the other team saying that Andrew's body had been found. Walter and Judy then went to the site.

The Koenigs pleaded with others who might have depressed family members to recognize the signs.

Walter Koenig appealed to those who might be in emotional pain: "If you can learn anything from this, it's that there are people out there who really care, and you may not think so, and ultimately it may not be enough, but ... before you make that final decision, check it out again, talk to somebody."

Said Judy: "Don't rationalize away anything -- connect with each other if there's something that's bothering you, because there's love out there."

The trouble is that when things go bad for people, when life kicks you in the ass these days most people in our world turn a blind eye.

They make excuses or simply disappear...I know because I have suffered with severe depression a couple of times in my life.

Everyone loves the jester but when he cries it ruins the fun and people tend to run away...the exact opposite of what should be done for someone silently suffering.

Different people deal with stress, emotional sadness and pain in different ways. Some are cutters and some turn to substance abuse.

Ones like Andrew Koenig may smile on the outside while dying inside. And is very hard to help someone if you don't know they are in pain.

So to my friends, readers and anyone out there that may be thinking of giving up- don't.

Walter and Judy are right- even if it seems like it...and even if so-called friends don't seem to care there is someone somehwre that will...so talk about how you feel, let it out and don't give up.

Again my condolences and prayers go out to Walter and Judy.

I am lucky to have my partner...because when I feel like giving up, when it seems like the whole world has gone to shit, when the people you thought were friends and said they loved turn out to be demons in disguise, when life takes a big shit on me he reminds me to listen to this song...




...and then I remember that if I give up today I will miss what will be good tomorrow...things pass...life is about change.

Stopping it before your time may end up causing you to miss a few miracles that may have come your way if you hadn't gave up.


YOU CAN READ THE REST OF THE LA TIMES PIECE HERE.

This is a clip from CBS news:

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Download:

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