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Neighborhoods

Death Valley

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The surgeon general announced last week that suicide is now a national health threat. Feeling
sad?









Joe Schiano

Age: 35

Resides: Long Beach, Long Island

Occupation: Electrician

Have you ever contemplated suicide? No. It’s against my religion. Thou shalt not kill. And
I’ve got three kids. I guess everyone’s contemplated it once in their lives…but not
seriously.

How do you cheer yourself? It’s my kids. They cheer me up. Maybe I’ll get a couple drinks.

Why do so many people think about it? I don’t know. They say with each passing generation,
it’s supposed to get easier. That’s not true. If anything, it gets harder. It’s corporate
greed and the government. You make $50,000 a year, you think you can support a family on that?
After the government takes 30 percent? In the ’50s a man like me had no problems supporting
their family.











Shawnta Wormley

Age: 26

Resides: Bushwick, Brooklyn

Occupation: Administrative assistant

Have you ever contemplated suicide? No. I love living. I love breathing. I’ve become attached to it.

How do you cheer yourself? I call my friends, my family. I talk to my mother and father. I pray.

Why do so many people think about it? They don’t have hope. The way the world is going, they go to the media, they don’t find any
solutions. They can’t talk to their family. They’re alone.









Ari Yanopulo

Age: 20

Resides: Williamsburg

Occupation: Flyer distributor

Have you ever contemplated suicide? Yeah. Plenty of times. It came to a point where I was going through a lot of family problems.
And also trying to find a job. I’m over it now. I just stopped thinking about it. But I tried
every thing. I sliced myself. I put a gun to my head. Jumping off a roof. It’s so stupid when
I think about it.

How do you cheer yourself? I think of happy things. My friends cheer me up.

Why do so many people think about it? The growing teen suicide-it’s miscommunication with
parents. Whether they come from a ghetto or a dysfunctional family. Some mothers and
fathers are addicts.









Margaret To

Age: 14

Resides: Bensonhurst, Brooklyn

Occupation: Student

Have you ever contemplated suicide? Yeah. Because of stress and family problems. It’s over.
Everything’s going good. I tried running away once. That actually helped, though. After that
my mother actually started listening to me.

How do you cheer yourself? I just talk to friends. They help me.

Why do so many people think about it? They just want to get away from their problems. It’s all
stress. A lot of people have the same problem with their family.










Edward Hernandez

Age: 23

Resides: Sunset Park, Brooklyn

Occupation: Marketing

Have you ever contemplated suicide? No. Never. Even when I was a teenager. I was doing crazy
things back then, but when my son was born-he’s three now-it eliminated the mere possible
thought of suicide. I couldn’t leave him.

How do you cheer yourself? I dance. I breakdance.

Why do so many people think about it? It has a lot to do with people’s
parents. A child only knows what it’s taught.














Mirriam Garrick

Age: 32

Resides: Oceanside, Long Island

Occupation: Customer relations

Have you ever contemplated suicide? Yeah, of course. I feel like I don’t belong in this world.
It’s not designed for me. There’s a lot of apathy in this world. But you look at life and see
the trees and flowers and that life is beautiful.

How do you cheer yourself? I talk to my friends. I listen to music.

Why do so many people think about it? Society’s backward. We’re not working for more soul.
It’s all financial.










Mark Young

Age: 27

Resides: Harlem

Occupation: Sales

Have you ever contemplated suicide? No. Life has not been that good to me, but not so bad that
I have to think about suicide.

How do you cheer yourself? Listen to music. Rap. r&b.

Why do so many people think about it? Stress. Peer pressure. Drugs.
Parents. School. There’s no place to turn with all that stuff.