A UH student died by suicide Wednesday at the Campus Vue apartments, said the student’s pastor, Scott Neal, who was at Campus Vue with the student’s family.
The student was an 18-year-old freshman, Neal said. The student’s mother drove from Kingwood to the scene, Neal said. His father, on a business trip in California, was trying to get a flight to Houston.
“This young man was distressed,” said Neal, who said he knew the student well.
Neal said the last time the student had sent a text was Wednesday afternoon.
“He just struggled over the last several years,” Neal said. “His best friend, when he was 13, killed himself. He struggled with depression on and off.”
Five police cars and two medical examiner vans were parked outside the apartments.
The police and Jasmine Hooks, a property manager of Campus Vue, declined to comment. Hooks said she will release a statement via email soon.
The Cougar has reached out to University of Houston spokespeople and the Houston Police Department for confirmation.
If you are experiencing depression or having suicidal thoughts, please make an appointment with Counseling and Psychological Services by calling 713-743-5454.
I want to say that I am so sorry that this occurred. I am a former student at University of Houston, and I want to say that something like this is tragic and should never occur. If someone is feeling depressed, dejected, and/or lonely, they need to know that they can reach out. For myself, I’ve had to learn (more so) to reach out over the last few years. I had lost my Father with whom I was very close and had an incredible relationship, and it was devastating and CRUSHING for a good while. So, I had to slow down and realize that I needed time to heal. I decided to take some time out from activities and the stresses of that experience where I could find myself again, and I sought psychological counseling at UH and elsewhere. So, I’ve been there, and I want to suggest to anyone else in this situation to REACH OUT.
People do care about you. I didn’t realize that (as much) until my Loss happened to me. My life was wonderful one-moment and then, NEXT MOMENT, quite different. So, I do suggest for anyone to work to build that network around you where, if things like this do/does happen, then reach out to friends, family, or the school’s counseling system. If not there, then reach out to outside counselors. Please, do not choose to not go on. You leave more pain and suffering to those are who are left behind, who really cared more about you than you know.
Thanks for hearing me and do be kind to people in that situation. I swear, until it happens to you, you just don’t know what they are going through. So, that is a word that I never knew as well until this situation to BE KIND and BE GENTLE TO YOURSELF when tragedies strike your life.
Let me add too that your Loved Ones will think of you EVERY SINGLE DAY. They will think of a million things that they wished that they could say to you, but they will not be able to, if you choose an option, such as this student did. It’s not a good choice. Seems “okay” at the moment, but there is so much to live for, even if you have a MILLION THINGS against you. I’ve learned HOW PRECIOUS LIFE IS by losing my Father. I just didn’t value the Moments as much, because I thought they were “Infinite with Him” … but, they’re not.
So, think about the Other People that would be impacted. And, never make that Ultimate Decision. Even if I was in a car wreck, lost every limb, forever unmoveable out of a hospital bed, lost most of my senses, etc., there could still be things to be found special about life.
None of us are sure of the After-Life, so I would make the most of the moments in this life. The above might sound dreary to some, but I sure have embraced life after seeing it is fleety.
thank you for sharing… you’re so right. be kind to yourself…reach out… people DO care
Suicide is a deeply personal choice. It’s incredibly unfair to guilt someone into staying here by telling them to consider the emotions of those they’ll leave behind. Suicide is not an act of cowardice; it takes immense courage to take one’s own life. Furthermore, it is certainly not a selfish option. What is selfish is to request a person suffer an insufferable existence simply to spare those around them a bit of soul-searching.
Well, it is also true that he was young and had a different life ahead of him.
Clearly you haven’t experienced any depressing thought, have you?
this is true. i don’t think the first person thought it was cowardly.. just to let young people and others know that help is available.. and people DO care . often what seems insufferable at the time can change and improve. things CAN get better.
We’re all alive for a purpose, and each of our lives is supposed to be about finding out what that purpose is!
IF ANY STUDENT IS EVER FEELING SUICIDAL, PLEASE CONTACT THE SCHOOLS COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND EXPLAIN YOUR SITUATION!!!! I am a student at UH and have experienced these thoughts as well. I called the on-campus therapist and told then it was an emergency and they saw me that same day. Please, guys. There is help for you if youre feeling upset. It doesnt have to end like this. And if you cant reach the therapist, please dial 911!!!!
UH COUNSELING SERVICES
713-743-5454
Suicide hotline:
1 800-273-8255
Glad you did that. You’re not the only one, so you’re the one who is brave to be so honest and candid about The Struggles that all of us face: at one time or another. Thank you for sharing the number. I really think you’ve made a difference by doing this. Good job !!!
Maybe the editors should read this… http://afsp.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/recommendations.pdf
3rd claims another one.