Suicide and a Two-Year Old

12.13.2010

It broke my heart today to read in the papers that Bernie Madoff’s son hanged himself in his home while his two-year old son was napping. Apparently his wife knew something was very wrong after receiving ominous texts from him and contacted authorities to check on him. They were, obviously, too late, he was already dead when they found him.

It’s not clear whether his son was napping when the authorities came in because, I think, I read one account that he was playing nearby and then I read another account that he was napping, but whatever the truth may be, to do that to your child is abysmal. I know the likelihood of him not remembering any details is high, but there is a strong chance that he’ll grow up thinking that maybe his father’s death had something to do with him.

I understand suicide tendencies well and I also understand that when you remove yourself from the situation and look back, you realize what a selfish act it is. Obviously Bernie Madoff’s son had made up his mind to kill himself but what he should’ve done is waited to be alone. His selfishness will bruise his son and forever keep a hole in the family.