Thank you for sharing. That's so very sad. He obviously had mental health issues. Perhaps they started in elementary school but most likely they became obvious when he was 19, since that's usually when mental illness rears its ugly head.
Very, very, sad. We urged him and many others that were bullied, and there were many, to come to our 1965 Reunion. Many did come.
May his memory be a blessing for all that knew him. What a very sad story.
Wow - this is all heartbreaking. I went to Richard's Bar Mitzvah and it was the fanciest one I'd ever seen...with a big ice carving of Richard on the buffet table! I remember that his two grandmas were Grandma Black and Grandma Brown and I thought it was really fun that his mom had changed her name from Black to Brown. Does anyone know if Richard did have some happy times in his life...did he ever have a family or rewarding work? It hurts to read of his sadness being so profound that he'd take his own life.
I have not thought of Richard in decades, yet remember him clearly, as a quiet guy. I hope he had some joy in life, and am going to assume/ hope he did. Seventy two years is a long time to suffer towards hopelessness. There was so much we didn't know and understood during the 'good old days'- issues related to bullying, mental health, body image, implicit bias. Sometimes I think it's a miracle we came out with as few scars as we did.
My memories from those years are dim and mostly shelved. But I do remember Richard and the kindness and camraderie that he showed to me. I am saddened to read of his passing
Richard passed away 50 years ago, in 1973, according to the date in the "In Memory" section. Very tragic, but not sure why this is being discussed as if it had happened recently.
It is truly heartbreaking. I do feel a sense of guilt and remorse for not having approached Richard back then. I wasn't part of the in-crowd, so that didn't keep me from doing it. It was a lack of awareness of how other students might be feeling. Our parents didn't teach us and, our teachers didn't teach us. There was no social-emotional learning in our schools back then. It has and still is a political football, now competing with progressive issues. There is room for all of it. As a retired school social worker, I was able to make up for and compensate in my mind for having ignored classmates like Richard back then. But think about today. Social media affecting the lives not only of youth but of adults. We still are victims of being ignored or made to feel iniadequate for getting two or no "likes" when others easily get 70 or more. I think about Richard and wonder how many acknowledgments he would have gotten on his Facebook page if he was still here with us. I shudder to think.
Sad news, but is this recent? I remember Richard too and was shocked to hear of his death. I hope he had some joy. It is nice to gather together, if not in person, at least online and in the memory of one of our schoolmates.
Sending warm greetings and virtual hugs to all of you.
I remember that he was bullied in grammar s hool and never understood why kids bullied him and others. I was best friends with a classmate who also was bullied and I made my own judgement who I would be friends with. My sister was bullied at Niles West when she was a freshman and my parents put her in a private school. I think the bullying dis effect her as she is bipolar and us on medication for life.
I just saw about Richards sad passing.I remember him being on the football team.I admire the guys who were on the second string . My mother met his father at one of the summer practices and knew him and hugged him. I think his dad dealt with cars. I think they might have been from the same town in Poland, Miedzerich. . I am sorry I wasn't a friend . Mabye we will meet again sometime, somewhere and I will do better . May his memory be blessed.
Marybeth Platt (Crum)
Shelly,
Thank you for sharing. That's so very sad. He obviously had mental health issues. Perhaps they started in elementary school but most likely they became obvious when he was 19, since that's usually when mental illness rears its ugly head.
Very, very, sad. We urged him and many others that were bullied, and there were many, to come to our 1965 Reunion. Many did come.
May his memory be a blessing for all that knew him. What a very sad story.
Mary Beth Platt
Linda Jacobson (Yellin)
Wow - this is all heartbreaking. I went to Richard's Bar Mitzvah and it was the fanciest one I'd ever seen...with a big ice carving of Richard on the buffet table! I remember that his two grandmas were Grandma Black and Grandma Brown and I thought it was really fun that his mom had changed her name from Black to Brown. Does anyone know if Richard did have some happy times in his life...did he ever have a family or rewarding work? It hurts to read of his sadness being so profound that he'd take his own life.
Claire Weiner
I have not thought of Richard in decades, yet remember him clearly, as a quiet guy. I hope he had some joy in life, and am going to assume/ hope he did. Seventy two years is a long time to suffer towards hopelessness. There was so much we didn't know and understood during the 'good old days'- issues related to bullying, mental health, body image, implicit bias. Sometimes I think it's a miracle we came out with as few scars as we did.
David Gaynon
My memories from those years are dim and mostly shelved. But I do remember Richard and the kindness and camraderie that he showed to me. I am saddened to read of his passing
Karen Sholder
Richard passed away 50 years ago, in 1973, according to the date in the "In Memory" section. Very tragic, but not sure why this is being discussed as if it had happened recently.
Shelly Wernikoff
What Karen pointed out is correct. Richard's life was tragically cut short a very long time ago.
David Feingold
It is truly heartbreaking. I do feel a sense of guilt and remorse for not having approached Richard back then. I wasn't part of the in-crowd, so that didn't keep me from doing it. It was a lack of awareness of how other students might be feeling. Our parents didn't teach us and, our teachers didn't teach us. There was no social-emotional learning in our schools back then. It has and still is a political football, now competing with progressive issues. There is room for all of it. As a retired school social worker, I was able to make up for and compensate in my mind for having ignored classmates like Richard back then. But think about today. Social media affecting the lives not only of youth but of adults. We still are victims of being ignored or made to feel iniadequate for getting two or no "likes" when others easily get 70 or more. I think about Richard and wonder how many acknowledgments he would have gotten on his Facebook page if he was still here with us. I shudder to think.
Susan Burg (Zanchi)
Sad news, but is this recent? I remember Richard too and was shocked to hear of his death. I hope he had some joy. It is nice to gather together, if not in person, at least online and in the memory of one of our schoolmates.
Sending warm greetings and virtual hugs to all of you.
Susan
Judy Holtzman (Lieberman)
I remember that he was bullied in grammar s hool and never understood why kids bullied him and others. I was best friends with a classmate who also was bullied and I made my own judgement who I would be friends with. My sister was bullied at Niles West when she was a freshman and my parents put her in a private school. I think the bullying dis effect her as she is bipolar and us on medication for life.(Avi) Steve (Rotem) Potoker
I just saw about Richards sad passing.I remember him being on the football team.I admire the guys who were on the second string . My mother met his father at one of the summer practices and knew him and hugged him. I think his dad dealt with cars. I think they might have been from the same town in Poland, Miedzerich. . I am sorry I wasn't a friend . Mabye we will meet again sometime, somewhere and I will do better . May his memory be blessed.