Today I attended the funeral of a brilliant, well-loved colleague of my downtown D.C. law firm.  He had just turned 32, and last Wednesday night (January 7), he put a bullet in his head.

We all have been left wondering what kind of demons he faced during his final days and months.  We all have been experiencing the shame and self-examination that attends the suicide of a loved one.  “Why didn't I see the signs?”  “I should have reached out more.”  “Wow, with all the people in his life, don't you think that someone would have noticed that something was wrong?”  But the harsh reality we face is that there weren't any signs at all.

During the extremely emotional and difficult memorial service, I began to think hard about all of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters who commit suicide every year, overwhelmed by all of the hate, bigotry, and vitriol that we face just for being humans with a variant sexual orientation.

So, I don't wish to appear maudlin, but I want to remind all Blenders that suicide can strike anywhere, any time.  Please remain vigilant regarding your colleagues, friends, and loved ones.  Sometimes the warning signs are less than obvious.

And please, if you have thoughts of self-harm, REACH OUT.  Even if it's just to the Blender community–we are here to help.  YOU ARE NOT ALONE.