Martin Luther King Jr. and Suicide

After Dr. King was killed autopsy results showed that he had the heart of a 60-year-old, due to stress, according to medical professionals. The FBI had often urged him to commit suicide. When he was just 12 years old had actually tried to take his own life after his grandmother’s death. He was unaware at first that it was a heart attack and thought his own negligence was a factor as he had left home for a parade when he was supposed to be with her.

These days the stigma around depression and other forms of mental illness is fading as we learn to respect one another’s struggle. Dr. King’s story reminds us that every soul has a gift to give, including those who are unwell.