Community Corner

Airplane Crash: Suicide Prevention and Survivor Healing

Information and resources to help the community.

The July 22 plane crash at Shannon Airport in which Edwin Gordon Hassle died is being investigated by law enforcement as a possible suicide.

“A completed suicide raises a number of important issues in our society,” said Steve Iselin, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) National Capital Area Chapter volunteer board chairman. The Virginia resident said he is not a mental health care professional, but a trained volunteer with the foundation.

Iselin said there is a stigma attached to suicide that increases the difficulty of sharing information that can save lives and help the survivors -- those left behind after a suicide.

Find out what's happening in Fredericksburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

According to the foundation:

  • Every 14 minutes someone in the United States dies by suicide.
  • Ninety percent of people who die by suicide have a diagnosable, treatable psychiatric disorder at the time of their death.
  • Most people with mental illness do not die by suicide.
  • Men are nearly four times more likely to die by suicide than women. However, women attempt suicide three times as often as men.
  • Suicide rates are the highest for people between the ages of 40 and 59.

"When a person is in that [suicidal] state of mind they are in great pain, and their only thought is to end that pain," said Iselin. "They are not thinking about what they will leave behind."

Find out what's happening in Fredericksburgwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A diagnosable, treatable psychiatric disorder is a disease, according to Iselin.  "Diabetes is a disease of the blood, heart disease leads to heart attacks, and mental illness is a disease of the brain," he said. Friends and family can watch for signs that someone needs help, although sometimes the signs are not obvious.

The observable signs of serious depression include:

  • Unrelenting low mood
  • Pessimism
  • Hopelessness
  • Desperation
  • Anxiety, psychic pain and inner tension
  • Withdrawal
  • Sleep problems

Serious depression and the following, especially when combined, are suicide warning signs:

  • Increased alcohol and/or other drug use
  • Recent impulsiveness and taking unnecessary risks
  • Threatening suicide or expressing a strong wish to die
  • Making a plan
  • Giving away prized possessions
  • Sudden or impulsive purchase of a firearm
  • Obtaining other means of killing oneself such as poisons or medications
  • Unexpected rage or anger

Coping with suicide loss is difficult. "There is a lot of second guessing," said Iselin.  The foundation offers a survivor outreach program.  At the family's request, two trained volunteers who are themselves suicide survivors will visit the family members left behind after a suicide.

Other foundation resources include:

Surviving Suicide Loss: A Resource and Healing Guide

Knowing How to Respond to the Warning Signs of Suicide

Local and National Crisis Resources

If you or someone you know is in crisis, the phone number of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255.

You may also call the Rappahannock Area Community Services Board 24-Hour Emergency Services:

  • Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania and Stafford Counties: 540-373-6876
  • Caroline County: 804-633-4148
  • King George County: 540-775-5064

Snowden at Fredericksburg, Mary Washington Hospital: 800-362-5005

Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center Behavioral Health: 540-498-4563

Fredericksburg Area Supportive Service Resources:

Mental Health America of Fredericksburg Referall Services HelpLine: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday for free, confidential information and referrals to mental health and community resources and educational literature.  Call 540-371-2704 or email mhafred@mhafred.org.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Rappahannock: 540-479-3044

Virginia 2-1-1: Free, confidential referral and information on health services, financial assistance, senior services and more.  Dial 2-1-1.

Virginia Wounded Warrior Program: Support groups led by veterans, for combat veterans of all eras, as well as family members.  Identification of referral for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injuries.  Call 540-373-3223, extension 3085.

Related Stories:

Airplane Crash: Coping With and Preventing Suicide

Minutes After Suicide Threat, Plane Crashes at Virginia Airport

Victim Identified in Virginia Plane Crash

Follow Fredericksburg Patch for the latest news and events.
Facebook | Twitter


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here