Ralph, 38, Pensive

Home alone, Ralph sat ruminating on a Saturday night committed suicide by taking a handful of sleeping pills and chasing them with his favorite whiskey, Wild Turkey. He felt absolutely no pain.

Ralph was raised in a small Ohio town and attended public schools. He continued his education pursuing a BS degree in Education and finally a Masters in Special Education (secondary, mild to moderate). It was this destination, a noble and worthwhile vocation that he enjoyed immensely for many years; he loved underdogs.

Unfortunately, he was plagued with mental illness (psychotic episodes and anxiety) and not even a job he could be passionate about was enough to overcome his problems.

He still heard the voices.

When asked what the nicest thing someone other than a family member did for him in his life, he quickly recalled, "A friend wiped my 3-month old daughter's barf from my shoulder while at a party. Everyone else just looked in horror at my shoulder, but this person kindly approached me and without hesitation and wiped the back of my shoulder. It was a moment I'll never forget. She was a spitter."

Ralph never dressed well and never carried himself proudly. He was tortured and it showed. He was pensive, usually nervous, awkward and it all showed in most things he did (his opinion). Friends don't remember such an image. "He was one of the most dedicated educators I knew." a fellow teacher said. He suspects most of his flaws were only visible to himself.

He is survived by a devastated wife, daughter and many other family members.

The voices just wouldn't stop.