Why Aaron Hernandez’s suicide is not funny

Every once in a while, the sporting world intersects with the worlds of art, politics, and humanity. On the morning of April 19, 2017, former New England Patriots tight end and convicted murderer, Aaron Hernandez was found dead in his jail cell in Massachusetts after hanging himself.

Hernandez allegedly hung himself from the window of his jail cell with a bed sheet, while blocking the cell door with multiple objects making resuscitation difficult.

When the story initially broke it led the charge for the Facebook lawyers and conspiracy theorists to come out and play. Did he really kill himself? Was it a setup? Was he going broke and did it to protect his estate? Did the technicalities of the law and his recent acquittal of the double murder play a role in his decision?

I even saw people speculate that Hernandez died of autoerotic asphyxiation — if you don’t know what that is Google it or consult the episode of Six Feet Under where they address it. I’m a sports writer, not a sex ed teacher. Thanks to the TMZ culture in which we live the news was riddled with questions.

Here are some things that we can probably agree on: Did Hernandez waste his talent? Absolutely. Was he a disgusting human being? Court documents would lead you to believe that, yes. Did he kill those people? I’m no lawyer, but all signs point to yes. Hell, even employing the lawyer who got Casey Anthony and George Zimmerman off almost screams an admission of guilt. They were looking for a loophole, not the truth.

Is the whole situation fishy? Yes. Yes, it is. Questions circulated as to why Hernandez would do something when just days ago he was acquitted of the double murder charge. While he was still in jail on the life sentence for the murder of Odin Lloyd, the motive presented in his conviction was that Lloyd threatened to snitch on the double murder from which he was just acquitted. I am not a lawyer and will not speculate as such, but there’s the red herring right there. So, while the situation might garner debate, none of us were there. Then the discussion got ugly.

Then came the trolls and the memes were sure to follow.

Because I will not engage in the sharing of such vulgar content. I will briefly recap certain captions I have seen that made me physically ill:

• Gets sentenced to life, only does three years. Patriots always cheating.
• Chokes more than the Atlanta Falcons.
• Hernandez was a Celtics fan and couldn’t take the loss.

I could go on, but I will choose to stop there. You get the point.

Regardless of what kind of human being (term used loosely) he was, and whether he deserved any kind of respect in death because of who he was in life is irrelevant. At the end of the day, he was still someone’s son, someone’s brother, someone’s friend, and most importantly someone’s father. I am not saying feel sorry for him by any stretch of the imagination, but as usual with suicide, the real burden is on those that are left behind. They are the people who I feel empathy for.

That brings me to the bigger picture: suicide should never be used as a punchline. I will say it one more time: do not make suicide the butt of any of your jokes, regardless of who killed themselves. There is a ripple effect that occurs and affects multiple people who had nothing to do with the situation. And that is true, no matter whom it is that takes their own life.

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the 10^th leading cause of death in the United States, each year 44,193 people die by suicide, and there is one suicide for every 25 attempts. Mental health in the United States has often been pushed to the side while it attributes to the 10^th leading cause of death in the United States. This is a conversation that needs to be had, and not used in jest.

When the subject of suicide is used to try to get likes and shares on Facebook and Twitter it does more harm that is immediately noticed. There is a stigma that is associated with mental illness and suicidal thoughts in this country, and that is why most who are suffering from such often do not come forward. By acting like suicide is funny you might have discouraged a friend who is thinking about the act from talking to you, or anyone for that matter.

My main point is to not weep for Aaron Hernandez. He probably does not deserve any sympathy. However, his innocent child does not deserve to relive the venom of the internet when she is a baby and has nothing to do with this in the name of humor. You very well could have friends on your followers or friends list that have been battling the same decision. When you post memes that make light of suicide and mental illness, you are no longer seen as someone who a friend can come to in a time of need.

While this news is still fresh, and the controversy surrounding it will ensure details to surface for the foreseeable future, we could all stand to be a little more kind. Do not be kind for Hernandez’s sake, but for the people who you might know personally dealing with issues that have them considering the same decision. Be a decent human being and realize some things should never be used as an opportunity to be funny.

If you or anyone you know is battling with mental illness or considering suicide let them know that help does exist. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is open 24 hours a day and can be reached at 1-800-273-8255. You can also reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline’s Facebook page for a listening ear if you prefer digital communication. For anyone who is struggling, help is out there, and it can and will get better.