The Unanswered Question

 

"Why would she do that?"

Why?

It's a question we ask a lot.

In this case, the question is about Lauren Bernett, a catcher at James Madison University. Lauren was hitting .336 for the 2022 season with nine home runs and 33 runs batted in. Playing in a doubleheader at College of Charleston on April 16, Lauren drove in 10 runs -- including seven in the second game. 

She was the Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week and, days later, died at the age of 20.

The questions begin there and the answer appears -- according to the Western Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Virginia -- to be suicide.

So, again, why?

The truth is we may never know.

See, there's always talk that it's selfishness. Maybe that's so. It's a moment of unimaginable darkness but there's always collateral damage in the aftermath. For the families. The loved ones. The teammates. The authorities.

The trickle-down is felt.

And thus the questions proliferate. 

Why would they do such a thing?

But the real talk is that there are myriad reasons. "Why" isn't always so easy. 

Or necessary.

For anyone in that darkest of dark moments, there doesn't have to be a why. They just want to end the pain. The sadness. 

They want to stop being a burden.

The obvious answers are always about failures. Relationship, financial, career, life. The other answers involve pain.

But, sometimes, it's as simple as things just not being right.

That is to say, there is no answer.

So while we want to know "why" someone takes their own life so that it never happens again, the truth is it just isn't that simple.

We try to make sure people know they're loved. We try to be there for them.

But, again, we just can't always save them. 

We can give the number and website for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK(8255) or at suicidepreventionlifeline.org and hope it saves a life. 

Lots of lives.

But we still don't have answers and, honestly, would an answer bring any closure?

I wish I could understand why Lauren Bernett is gone. I wish I could understand why anyone would do such a thing.

I wish I could understand those dark moments.

I can't. 

I don't.

Do you?