Tuesday, December 10, 2013

On the other side of the attempt.

I don’t remember much of that day except is started with “Greg, have you ever been so depressed you attempted suicide?” which I received at 9:32 am while driving to a client’s work site.  It wasn't until 10:49 am that I saw this message.

What do you do with a question like that?  How do you handle something like that?

I reply “I haven’t.  There was a point that I thought about it but I never attempted.  I will admit that you have me concerned with you asking.  Do you want me to call someone for you?”

We continue to work and continue the conversation thinking things are getting better when at 12:07 PM on Oct 1st I receive the message.

“I am sorry Greg, but I am gonna take my life now…”

“HELL NO!!!”  I am screaming inside I am panicking,  I open another browser.  Where did he say he living now?  White pages is there someone with his last name…  Yes!!  My hands are shaking, I walk into the stair well not to both my client that I am working with that day, I dial the number “Hello, my name is Greg and you don’t know me but I live in Utah and I am talking to a friend with your last name…” after finishing explaining the situation I hear “I am sorry, I don’t know a Thomas…” 

NO!!!  That can’t be, I don’t remember anything else they said and don’t even remember how the phone call ended. 

I sit back at my desk and read “I can’t even get the razor blade to cut me…  I don’t wanna live… Once I sign off. Its game over for me.”

The gentleman that I just talked to me calls back and says “Don’t give up, have you thought about calling the police.  Of course I have but what do I tell them, I have a Facebook friend that I have talked to once on the phone and now I am trying talk him off a ledge?  Yes that is exactly what I am going to do!!  

They have to be able to help…

What is his name?
How do you know him?
What is his address?
Does he have a Drivers Licenses here in the state?
What is his Cell Phone number?
Do you know his family?

“We cannot find any record of him…”  My heart drops.

We will forward the info that you have given to us to one of our investigators and let you know what we find.

12:22 PM The last thing I hear from Thomas “I am sorry Greg”

I plead with him sending message, telling him that I won’t tell his ex-wife what has happened, virtually yelling at him, pleading with him but he is gone.

There has to be something that I can do, wait we met on Facebook despite his claims I am sure that he has friends and family that care…  About yes there are family members here… 


I send the message “I hope you see this. I am a friend with Thomas Thibodeau and he is threatening to kill himself. I have called the Huntersville police but I can't give them any directions. Please contact him!!

Facebook asks do you want send this to their primary mailbox for a $1, of course I do, how can they be asking me about money.  This is a matter of life or death I must hurry I need to get this to as many people as possible.

Copy & paste, next person copy and paste, next person copy and paste…

I have messaged all of his family what do I do now?  What can I do? Is it over?  Is this how it ends? 

It feels like an eternity but then I get a reply from one of his aunts, Rita, thank you Rita.  She says she is contacting his mother.  Other family member start contacting me asking questions I share all I know.

Finally at 1:21 PM I receive a message from his mother stating “He has been located and is being taken to the hospital.  He did do something but he is OK, he is awake and conscious.”

I go to my client and explain the situation and tell them that I won’t be charging them for the day and that I won’t be able to continue as my body and mind are done.

It is hard to explain what I felt those 40 minutes that it took me to get home that day, anger, pain, confusion, happiness, joy.  But the emotions that I can remember most was Thankfulness to my Heavenly Father for letting me help, and Hope that there was another day that maybe Thomas could have another chance at happiness.

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