It's tragic and I'm very sad for his family and loved ones.

I hadn't paid attention to it, but for a quick check just now to respond to your question.

I think the most important victim of any suicide is the decedent themself. Not others, not family members. And after such an occurance, it's too late to do anything about it.

Might something have been done beforehand? Should there be a higher priority given in our societies to preventing suicides?

People get themselves into jams and problems in their life for which they may see no way out or may have no desire to remedy. Were one of these the reason for his decision?

Is a death by suicide more shocking, or less shocking, than when a person of a similar age dies suddenly of an unpredictable cardiovascular incident or a rapidly developing cancer? For me, they're the same. Regrettable, somewhat shocking, and tragic FOR THEM no matter what the cause, when a person can't live their life to a ripe old age.

Elmer, I think that when a person dies by suicide, many have an additional side effect of wondering if they or someone could have said something or done something more to help that person as you mentioned. I agree that any unexpected death is as sad as any other death, but we don't feel as though we somehow failed the person when the death is caused by cancer or a stroke or heart attack when I suspect many do in the case of a suicide. At least that was true in the cases 50-60 years ago when a cousin died and the brother of one of my friends died in high school.

Sure, reactions can vary. There are some for whom even an expected death (like a parent or other oldster) can trigger guilt feelings in survivors.

"Should I have visited more" or "Could I have done more to make them comfortable" or "Did I make a mistake when I got angry with them last year". Or this or that or the other thing.

I think there are people who are prone to having pangs of guilt that they try to justify by the circumstances that may have caused them.

I may be wrong, and I don't know all that much about it psychologically, but I think suicides are caused by decisions of the victims, not by others. Some may want to look at it differently, they may need help as much as the unfortunate victims did.

“Is a death by suicide more shocking, or less shocking, than when a person of a similar age dies suddenly of an unpredictable cardiovascular incident or a rapidly developing cancer?”

Answering for myself, immensely more, if all things are equal as far as ”unexpected” goes

It's a very sad situation on many different levels.

I think it is extremely tragic when someone takes their own life and even more so when they are young. It's more similar to a murder than a natural, even if unexpected, death.

There are so many conflicting reports regarding the details of this young man's life and I have no idea which are accurate and which are journalistic fabrications. Regardless of whatever misdeeds, misstatements or outright lies may have been perpetrated, they do not or should not detract from his tragic death.

Thats true, gardengal, but I think the tendency is to look for answers. Was he the victim of a bullying campaign or was his world about to come crumbling down of his own doing? I know zero about this case, have barely read beyond any headline, so I have no idea. Just saying people look for answers and the search might not always be ”respectful.”

It appears he accomplished and overcame a great deal to achieve what he did. Certainly not everything was a lie. It's unfortunate that any of it might have been and you have to wonder about the sometimes poor judgement of youth, accompanied by the pressure to succeed. I think suicide is always tragic and many times shocking, especially for someone so young and accomplished. He perhaps could have recovered from this, but didn't have the foresight, or resilience, or life experience to know that was possible.

I am not sure what the contraversy is. This young man made up a life story that is one lie after another. He was discoverd and someone thinks this is a bullying campaign???? MIND BLOWN!! On the eve of his book coming out the lies were discovered and he could not hold up to the shame and humiliation and killed himself. He was a weak person who chose "stolen" valor/heroism over doing the hard work to achieve something on his own merits. He took the cowards way out and anyone surprised has little awareness of disordered human nature.

Of course suicide is much more horrible than sudden death. It magifies a human weakness no one around them acknowledged or knew about. It always feels like a failure to those close to them. Justified or not it's how the living feel. Killing is wrong and even more so when we kill ourselves. Accidental death/illness is not a choice not a failure. Suicide always is.