Posted on 11/06/2010 5:54:37 PM PDT by prisoner6
Although Matt Hughes, a spotter on the Discovery series Storm Chasers, died on May 26th, many fans only found out this week when told he suffered "a fatal injury at home." Today, we've learned it was from a suicide attempt.
The death of storm-chaser Matt Hughes was today at the center of intense speculation. Mmany fans only found out the 30-year-old presenter had passed away at the end of Wednesday's episode of the Discovery series in which he starred.
Hughes, who has a wife Kenda and two sons Collin and Hunter, actually died on May 26.
He was not killed in the course of chasing storms — an obsession he pursued for 15 years — but after suffering a fatal injury at his home.
There were today reports that Hughes's death was due to complications from a failed attempt to kill himself.
Aaron Blaser, a meterologist who had worked with Hughes for many years, claimed he had tried to kill himself on May 14.
In a post titled 'RIP Matt', Blaser described on his blog how he was taken to hospital and spent several days in intensive care:
"One of our KAKEland StormChasers, Matt Hughes, was taken to the hospital after trying to take his life. This sentence is still hard to explain and even more difficult to express on a computer screen. Matt was in the hospital for several days in intensive care, there was a 24 hour vigil outside the waiting room, family, other chasers, business associates, etc."
The presenter began working on the hit show as a spotter for veteran Sean Casey.
He pioneered tracking storms in the 'Doghouse' vehicle and Casey was then able to intercept them in his purpose-built TIV-3 shown above. We met Casey and his TIV-2 at SEMA two years ago. Read more about that here.
There are people who believe "assisted suicide" is a viable option to most likely temporary problems.
This troubled man left a wife and two children.
Selfish.
Wonder what he thought was so terrible.
I cannot understand why someone who presumably had so much going for him would kill himself. What did he think was missing in his life that he couldn’t go on with it?
Apparently being aware and breathing.
How can one die from a failed attempt to kill himself?
If you die then the attempt was a success.
As far as I know, we are the only species that commits suicide, yet a percentage of us do just that. Excrement occurs.
Prayers for the loved ones.
How is it failed if he died??
An interesting thing is that I know some of the best storm chasers in the country.
They have been solicited many times since the filming of Twister, to be in stormchaser hollywood dealies.
All have been rejected as hollywood is not interested in the real deal, they are interested in fantasy.
It is quite possible that this guy was overwhelmed with being a poser.
“I cannot understand why someone who presumably had so much going for him would kill himself. “
People kill themselves when they lose hope.
Caught that as well. If he died it was a success. I guess it wasn’t the actual attempt but from an infection - MRSA or similar -but I agree. It could have been worded differently.
He had chronic depression...according to other storm chasers.
Good point. There are a lot of strange people.
Storm chasers have to live with the thought that their biggest thrill comes at someone else’s expense. They celebrate someone’s complete destruction.
Maybe he left his wife and two kids. With a $3M life insurance policy, that was more than 2 years old (i.e. outside of the suicide exclusion.) Not saying that makes it a good call. Just sayin’.
You need to read about reasons for depression.
I once questioned how someone could think a certain way because it was so foreign to my way of thinking, and I found out they had been abused and almost tortured by their parent. I got close to the person and I read about it, and studied it a little. Even now I am getting a headache from the conflict it produces.
So. Be prepared to find out the answer to your question and have empathy, or, understand that there are times you won’t understand and thank God you don’t.
Also, have a little compassion and don’t sound so belittling. There is help for people who have struggles and the belittling from others is what causes the stigmatization that prevents those who need help from getting it.
Negative!
All the stormchasers I know put themselves in peril just to give others warning.
They are first on the line for warning.
Sounds like a lousy bet.
I don’t think he solved anything...all of his misery will still be there in the afterlife...I believe.
Probably didnt die from the attempt but instead from the damage he did to his body.
B.S.!!!! You have no idea what you are talking about! I chase tornadoes every spring...most storm chasers are literally first responders when tornadoes rip through communities. No storm chaser wants to see tornadoes destroy property and kill people....come on!
I suspect that we are, although I don't think we can definitively rule out deliberate beaching behavior by cetaceans. Curiously, like human suicide, it is sometimes done in groups and other times, it is performed as a singular act.
Yeah, but he still accomplished what he wanted, to be dead. So, it wasn’t failed. If he was still alive, it would be a failed attempt.
“Are they sure it was not asphyxia while looking for sexual gratification?”
I hate when that happens!
Good grief! As if I didn’t feel sleazy enough even reading this thread....
Amen.
I dont know this guys history but all the stormchasers I know put others first.
FWIW A lot of the "early" weather sites...wxmatrix...wxnation...and others...have gone away. As a wx junkie I'm always looking for new sites.
...isn’t this the guy who finally got his chance to direct the chase?
yes
Watch the videos and you can hear the excitement when a tornado touches down. That tornado is causing damage. They pay a lot of money to see that.
In at least one recent story people meet on the net in "suicide rooms," make arrangements to meet and commit the act together. Until the meeting they did not know each other, however they did not want to die alone.
Fascinating, yet outside of my comprehension.
Yeah, but he still accomplished what he wanted, to be dead. So, it wasn’t failed. If he was still alive, it would be a failed attempt
___________________________
I understand what you are saying. But a suicide completes. A failed suicide does not complete, but one can die of the injuries.
Years ago, before there was an antidote, I knew a man who chugged a case of beer and 200 Tylenol. His attempt failed for he did not die immediately but instead died a week later of overwhelming liver failure.
I believe you are correct.
The site used to be cooler, but Sam had to get rough with theft of his work.
But not before it inspired a Far Side cartoon showing a group of lemmings about to jump off the cliff but one of them has an inner tube around his middle.
It's what happens when people abandon God.
..what a shame
lemmings
“As far as I know, we are the only species that commits suicide...”
Uhhh....beached whales, dolphins. I am sure there are more.
The Hollyweird videos?
I agree, I chase on a very amateur level in the Spring and Summer. All of the Tornados ive seen were out in the middle of nowhere, just where I want them. Im not chasing into a town or city, it narrows my escape routs if something goes wrong, and its much harder to see anything with all the buildings and trees.
I have little respect for famous people who commit suicide.
Sorry that’s just what you said..only with bigger words.
yes, and on the last episode he guided them to an almost perfect tornado intercept. Maybe he thought he had nothing left to look forward to after reaching this goal.
Exactly...
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