Jerry's Suicide and Road to Recovery
This story was relayed to me by an old high school buddy of Jerry's......
Not long after graduation Jerry tried to kill himself. Jerry's friend, who prefers to remain anonymous, says that no one knew had brought Jerry to that state. Many thought he was just very lonely. He had lost his father when he was young. But, Jerry shot himself, using his father's old shotgun, in the mid section and then in his mouth. Miraculously he survived. One story about this suggested that the shells had been old.
Jerry was in the hospital for well over a year. He had bags to evacuate in and his face was unrecognizable. For a year or two he underwent plastic surgery to rebuild the salivary glands in his cheek and had to wear a patch on the side of his face for a very long time. He couldn’t speak well as most of his tongue was gone.
After all of this, Jerry found his “footing” again and started attending classes at UNC in Greeley. He was working to rebuild his life. The high school buddy said that they admired the strength Jerry found to try again. He had so much against him after he left the hospital. Back then, medicine was not what it is today. There was only so much they could do for him.
On Thursday, Sept 16, 1976, while driving back from Greeley, he fell asleep at the wheel. Jerry went off the road somewhere near Ft. Lupton, hit a tree and died. It was dark when this happened and difficult to see the wreck. Someone found Jerry and his car before the authority’s did and stole his wallet. So it took several hours to identify him.
He was taken first to the old Brighton Community Hospital and then to Colorado General in Denver. He died of injuries on Saturday, Sept 19th.
Jerry was remembered by his friend as "a life of the party" kind of guy, but shy, especially around girls, and also a great and loyal friend.
Not long after graduation Jerry tried to kill himself. Jerry's friend, who prefers to remain anonymous, says that no one knew had brought Jerry to that state. Many thought he was just very lonely. He had lost his father when he was young. But, Jerry shot himself, using his father's old shotgun, in the mid section and then in his mouth. Miraculously he survived. One story about this suggested that the shells had been old.
Jerry was in the hospital for well over a year. He had bags to evacuate in and his face was unrecognizable. For a year or two he underwent plastic surgery to rebuild the salivary glands in his cheek and had to wear a patch on the side of his face for a very long time. He couldn’t speak well as most of his tongue was gone.
After all of this, Jerry found his “footing” again and started attending classes at UNC in Greeley. He was working to rebuild his life. The high school buddy said that they admired the strength Jerry found to try again. He had so much against him after he left the hospital. Back then, medicine was not what it is today. There was only so much they could do for him.
On Thursday, Sept 16, 1976, while driving back from Greeley, he fell asleep at the wheel. Jerry went off the road somewhere near Ft. Lupton, hit a tree and died. It was dark when this happened and difficult to see the wreck. Someone found Jerry and his car before the authority’s did and stole his wallet. So it took several hours to identify him.
He was taken first to the old Brighton Community Hospital and then to Colorado General in Denver. He died of injuries on Saturday, Sept 19th.
Jerry was remembered by his friend as "a life of the party" kind of guy, but shy, especially around girls, and also a great and loyal friend.