The year was 1987. Alf was popular. The Simpsons made its television debut. Three Men and a Baby, Good Morning, Vietnam and Dirty Dancing were tearing up the box office. Bad was released by Michael Jackson. Whitney Houston wanted to dance with somebody. Sandy Lyle, of Delphos, was 19.
It was the year her mother, 47, took her own life.
September is Suicide Prevention Month. This is obviously not a light subject. It makes some people uncomfortable. Many people would rather read a funny story about my kids or a descriptive piece about the onset of autumn. I never got more feedback from an article than I did when I wrote May’s column about bipolar disorder, though so, I felt compelled to write about this topic, as it is another taboo issue, but one that is important and real.