The funeral for the Upper West Side soap opera actor who committed suicide after euthanizing his beloved pet dog took place on Monday. Nick Santino committed suicide last week the day after his 47th birthday, and the NY Post alleged that in his suicide note he said it was because he was wracked with guilt and grief over euthanizing his pit bull Rocco, following harassment and pressure from his condo board. Outside his funeral at St. Athanasius Church in Brooklyn, Santino's friend Sara Schwartz told the Post that she believes the death of Rocco was the tipping point for Santino: “It’s more than the dog. I definitely think the dog thing was the last straw. It gave him a reason to do it. If that didn’t happen, he may have lived a long life...He wanted to be in heaven with the dog.”
Friend On Actor's Suicide: "The Dog Thing Was The Last Straw"
Condo Member Doesn't Want To Be Blamed For Actor's Suicide (Or His Dog's Euthanasia)
This week, an Upper West Side soap opera actor committed suicide, and the NY Post alleged that in his suicide note he said it was because he was wracked with guilt and grief over euthanizing his beloved pet dog Rocco. Nick Santino euthanized Rocco this past Tuesday—on Santino’s 47th birthday—after being under pressure from his apartment condo to get rid of the dog. Marilyn Fireman, a board member at his building at 1 Lincoln Plaza, responded to the allegations: “I’m sorry the man is dead, but it has nothing to do with the pet policy. You just assumed that [his suicide] was a result of a board’s decision.”
Actor Commits Suicide After Euthanizing Beloved Dog
An Upper West Side soap opera actor committed suicide this week—according to the Post, he wrote in his suicide note that he was wracked with grief over euthanizing his beloved pet dog Rocco. Nick Santino euthanized Rocco this past Tuesday, on Santino’s 47th birthday, under pressure from his apartment condo to get rid of the dog. "Today I betrayed my best friend and put down my best friend," Santino wrote in a suicide note, according to close friend Stuart Sarnoff. "Rocco trusted me and I failed him. He didn't deserve this."
Fatal Stamford House Fire Mom Reportedly Tried To Kill Herself
The grieving woman whose three daughters and parents died in a Christmas Day fire that ravaged her home tried to kill herself last week. A friend told WCBS 2 that Madonna Badger "is now in a safe place, surrounded by family and long-time friends.”
Queens Man Killed By Explosive May Have Committed Suicide
Police are investigating whether 50-year-old Theodore Ellinghaus Jr. intentionally set the large firecracker that killed him yesterday, or was fatally wounded by accident. The Post reports that Ellinghaus, who lived with his father in Ozone Park, Queens, lit an M80 firecracker and held it against his body. The device was so powerful it "tore a hole through his stomach, leaving his organs exposed." Ellinghaus' father, Theodore Sr., told the paper he doesn't believe his son would commit suicide. "It was an accident. It went off. He wouldn't kill himself. He told me he wouldn't kill himself."
Suicide Cop's Fiancée Called Precinct Minutes Before He Shot Himself
The police officer who killed himself while on duty Thursday night had apparently been agitated. Terrence Dean, 28, had been interviewing car break-in victims in Hollis Hills, Queens, but he took a call from his fiancée and shot himself in the head shortly after. The Post reports that the fiancée was concerned about his state of mind and had actually called his precinct 15 minutes earlier: "The woman never mentioned [Dean] by name — and only asked vague questions about what happens to a cop who wants to kill himself and if he would lose his gun or be suspended. The 111th Precinct cop who fielded the anonymous call guessed that she was talking about Dean and told a supervisor — but they allowed him to respond to a car break-in before calling him in."
On-Duty Cop Kills Himself In Queens
A police officer on duty in the 111th Precinct in Queens killed himself last night on 211th Street in Hollis Hills. And the police officer apparently had been arguing with his girlfriend on the phone moments before.
Cops Don't Think SI Teen Was Bullied To Death
After a Staten Island teen died from injuries sustained when she stepped in front of a bus, her relatives said that relentless bullying from classmates at New Dorp High School drove her to suicide. But a source close to an investigation into Amanda Cummings' death tells the Post, "No one had any previous signs of her being bullied."
New Cyberbullying Law Would Toughen Penalties For Internet Tormentors
Cyberbullies could soon face tougher penalties under a new bill proposed by State Senator Jeff Klein (D-Bronx), who introduced the legislation in the wake of the suicide of Amanda Cummings, a Staten Island teen who threw herself in front of a bus after bearing the brunt of a spate of online hate. "Tragically, we're seeing modern technology used as a weapon and our laws have not kept pace with that technology,” says Klein. "This legislation will give prosecutors the tools they need to treat cyberbullying as the crime it is and also send a message that this type of reckless and potentially deadly behavior will not be tolerated."
Amanda Cummings' Grieving Mother To Bullies, "I Hope You Die And I Hope You Suffer"
The family of the Staten Island teen who died after being hit by a bus continues to rail against the girl's bullies online and in the press. “This is to all you evil son of a bitches that picked on, talked about and threatened my baby,” heartbroken mother Cece Weber wrote on her daughter’s Facebook page. Amanda Cummings' uncle demanded that online bullies show themselves while her mother said on her daughter's Facebook page, "This is to all you evil son of a bitches that picked on, talked about and threatened my baby. I HOPE YOU DIE and I HOPE YOU SUFFER."
Man Commits Suicide In Midtown Precinct Jail Cell
A man killed himself on Saturday inside a Midtown South Precinct jail cell while in police custody for a domestic violence arrest. Officers found 40-year-old Alexander Gonzalez hanging by his shirt at around 3:20 p.m. According to the Daily News and the Post, Gonzalez had turned himself in on charges that he had assaulted his wife. Gonzalez was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, but died a short time later.
Jehovah's Witness Jumps To Death In Brooklyn
A Jehovah's Witness jumped to his death from a Brooklyn rooftop yesterday. According to police, Dwayne Fagan, 48, jumped from the top of his apartment building in the Linden Houses in East New York just before 1 p.m. Wednesday afternoon as bystanders looked on. “I thought someone had thrown an air conditioner off the roof. I screamed and screamed for a minute straight,” said witness Antoinette George, who also lives in the building.
Former SNL Writer Dies From Apparent Suicide, Leaves Heartbreaking Note
Former Saturday Night Live writer and Kids in the Hall producer, 63-year-old Joe Bodolai, died in a Los Angeles hotel room sometime over the last couple of days, and police believe the death was a suicide. According to TMZ, Bodolai—who co-wrote the Wayne's World movie—had been staying at the hotel for over a week, and cleaning crews discovered his body yesterday. The site learned that police found a bottle of antifreeze and Gatorade in his room.
Driver Kills Himself On Throgs Neck Bridge
Police say a man shot himself in the head while driving on the Throgs Neck Bridge last night. The Daily News reports, "The man was heading northbound from Queens toward the Bronx in a 1999 Chevy Silverado when he took his own life just before he arrived at the tollbooth, cops said."
Facebook Fights Suicide, Adds Prevention Chat Counselors
Yesterday, Facebook announced that they were launching a new suicide prevention program, enabling users to instantly connect with crisis counselors through their Facebook chat. Suicidal teens won't only have to rely on Mountain Dew anymore.
Killer Landlord Tried To Evict Tenant For Months
Patterson wasn't the only tenant he threatened yesterday, either. A teenage boy living in Reid's Jamaica, Queens, building heard the commotion from the second floor and came out in his boxers to find Reid "bloody blade in hand." The landlord reportedly "rushed at the teen, and the boy quickly hopped a fence and called 911 from a neighbor’s home," his mother said.
Landlord Tenant Dispute Turns Into Apparent Murder Suicide In Queens
An ongoing dispute between a 62-year-old Queens landlord and his 48-year-old tenant turned tragic today when Eulith "Sonny" Reid reportedly bludgeoned Hettie Patterson with a machete before turning the blade on himself. Both were transported to Jamaica Hospital where they were pronounced dead. According to neighbors, Patterson may not have paid her rent in a few months—or possibly Reid was refusing to accept it in an attempt to force her out.
NYPD Officers Rescue Suicidal Man From Ledge Of Manhattan Bridge
A 34-year-old man who was preparing to jump off the Manhattan Bridge yesterday afternoon is safe thanks to the swift response of three NYPD officers. Responding to a 911 call of a man walking along the outer edge of the bridge, Officers Anthony Brooks and Daniel Sandberg and William Cooper found the man facing the water. "He had a look in his eyes like he wasn't all there—like he was somewhere else," Brooks told the Post. "In this situation we couldn't wait for ESU to get there because he was going to make a move."
Yesterday's Rush Hour E/C Train Delay Caused By Suicide
An MTA worker tells the Daily News that the person struck by a subway train at 42nd Street and 8th Avenue was a man who committed suicide. "He jumped so suddenly," the worker says. "The driver never even saw him. He was dead before he even hit the tracks." Surveillance footage reportedly shows the unidentified 37-year-old man leaping in front of a northbound E train around 4:30 p.m.
Bernard Madoff's Daughter-In-Law Would "Spit In His Face" If She Saw Him
Last December, Mark Madoff committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling of his Soho apartment, apparently distraught over repercussions from his father Bernard Madoff's massive Ponzi scheme. This Friday, ABC News is running an interview with his widow Stephanie Madoff, and she does not like her father-in-law at all.
Man Found Dead In Apparent Suicide at Bronx DA's Office
Police are currently investigating an apparent suicide that took place early this morning at the Bronx District Attorney's office. Details of the death are still scarce but it appears that a 45-year-old armed security guard took his life somewhere in the DA's office building just after midnight.
After Driving Gay Teen To Suicide, Bullies Cheer His Death
Last week, a 14-year-old boy who was bullied because of his sexuality was found dead of an apparent suicide. The death of Jamey Rodemeyer, who had recorded a striking "It Gets Better" video months before, has provoked an outpouring of sympathy for the family, and support for anti-bullying laws. But according to Jamey's parents, the bullies who allegedly drove Jamey to suicide are still harassing the family and defiling Jamey's memory.
Lady Gaga Pays $38,500 To Meet President Obama
After declaring last week that she wanted to meet President Obama to discuss bullying, Lady Gaga did in fact meet him last night—after paying $38,500 to attend a fundraiser held at Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg's home in Silicon Valley. A pool report from the event says, "At 8:03 p.m. Lady Gaga entered ... delicately walking on sky-high heels (she towered over everyone, a good 2 feet taller than POTUS)."
Lady Gaga Wants To Meet With Obama To Talk Bullying
This week, a 14-year-old boy who recorded an "It Gets Better" video earlier this year was found dead of an apparent suicide. Jamey Rodemeyer dedicated one of his final messages to his hero, Lady Gaga: "Thank you Lady Gaga. For everything you have done for me. Paws up forever." Gaga has now responded to Jamey's tragic death by vowing to meet with President Obama to discuss bullying laws: "I am meeting with our President. I will not stop fighting. This must end. Our generation has the power to end it. Trend it #MakeALawForJamey."
Teen Who Recorded "It Gets Better" Video Found Dead Of Apparent Suicide
A 14-year-old boy from Buffalo who recorded an "It Gets Better" video earlier this year was found dead of an apparent suicide. Jamey Rodemeyer had written extensively online about being bullied at school. "I always say how bullied I am, but no one listens. What do I have to do so people will listen to me?" he wrote on his Tumblr on September 9th. You can watch his tragic "It Gets Better" video below:
Upper East Side Woman Jumps Off Luxury Building To Her Death
A woman in her 20s jumped off the 18th floor of an Upper East Side luxury building to her death earlier today. Suyeon Kim, 29, landed on a second-floor ledge on East 79th Street and Second Avenue. "I heard a big thump—real loud. I thought it was an air conditioner falling. It was that loud," said doorman Juan Gonzalez, who was working across the street.
Cop In Ticket-Fixing Probe Allegedly Attempted Suicide By Third Rail
A veteran NYPD officer distraught over being called to testify in the ticket-fixing scandal which has engulfed the police force this year allegedly attempted to commit suicide earlier today. Officer Robert McGee, 62, a three-decade veteran and union delegate assigned to the 43rd Precinct, jumped in the tracks on the No. 1 line at a Riverdale subway station just before 5 a.m. this morning, and tried to electrocute himself by clutching the third rail. Earlier that night, McGee's wife had called cops and said he "was suicidal."
NJ School Bans Murakami Book With Gay Sex, But Drugs, Suicide Are Okay
A New Jersey school has dropped two popular books with—gasp! Gay sex scenes!—from their required reading lists, and apologized to parents for exposing their children to such a morally reprehensible act. The books? Haruki Murakami's Norwegian Wood and Nic Sheff's Tweak: Growing Up On Methamphetamines . The meth and mental instability and suicide that make up the other major themes in the books? Those are apparently just fine.
Ice-T Under Fire Over Tweets About Dead Househusband
Ice-T, who's never been described as shy, is in hot water over some poorly timed tweets joking about the recent suicide of Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills star Russell Armstrong. But in true Ice style, he's not backing down just yet.
Ruth Madoff May Finally Be Dumping Bernie
Has Ruth Madoff finally decided that loyalty to her imprisoned, multi-billion dollar Ponzi-scheming husband is less important than a relationship with her son? The Daily Mail says that she hasn't been to the federal prison in North Carolina to visit Bernard Madoff for six months because "she allegedly seeks reconciliation with her son," Andrew. The Madoffs' other son Mark killed himself last year, apparently distraught over the fallout from his father's scheme and its effect on his own life.
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