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Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall Shares His Wife Seemed 'Happy' Before Her Suicide

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Editor's Note

If you experience suicidal thoughts or have lost someone to suicide, the following post could be potentially triggering. You can contact the Crisis Text Line by texting “START” to 741741.

On Wednesday, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall got emotional in his first public appearance after his wife Bridgette’s suicide this past Sunday. Marshall explained he and his family decided to share her story in the wake of rumors and “half truths” born out of the “reckless” media coverage exposing the graphic details of her death.

It is our hope today to share our story to also give strength to those families who have endured what we have endured. And maybe for that person who felt like Bridgette did on Sunday morning to know that there is hope and there are people who love them.

In addition to speaking about his late wife’s long battle with migraine, gastrointestinal issues, major depressive disorder and anxiety, Marshall also spoke about Bridgette appearing “happy” not long before her death.

She was as happy as I’d seen her in a long time… We saw a happiness in her that we hadn’t seen a while. And it was good, it was good. And then for whatever reason, something changed and we don’t know what.

Though we typically associate “sadness” with someone who is depressed or suicidal, the reality is being suicidal doesn’t always have a “look” and a lift in mood doesn’t automatically mean a person is no longer at risk for suicide. According to the Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Center of British Columbia:

Sometimes, a suicidal person might feel relief that they have finally come to a decision – the emotional conflict over living or dying has been resolved. The best way to determine if a person’s improved mood is related to decreased or increased risk of suicide is to have a direct and open discussion about suicide.

This was something Talinda Bennington also said of her late husband Chester Bennington, lead singer of Linkin Park who died by suicide last July.

“He was at his best before he passed,” Bennington said at CNN’s Town Hall about suicide last week. “We were on a family vacation… He’s had past attempts, but this wasn’t the time any of us expected this to happen.”

In September, Bennington shared a video of her late husband laughing and captioned it, “This is what depression looked like to us just 36 hrs b4 his death. He loved us SO much & we loved him.”

Suicide doesn’t always have a “look,” and it’s important to continue to reach out if you are worried about your loved one.

For tips for how to support someone who is suicidal, or if you are struggling with the loss of a loved one to suicide, here are some resources:

24 Real Ways to Help Someone Who’s Feeling Suicidal

What to Do When You’re Worried a Loved One Might Be Suicidal

Life After Loss: Resources That May Help Suicide Loss Survivors

Screenshot via WHNT News 19 Facebook page

Originally published: June 28, 2018
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