Todd Tihart (r) kansas...youngest son suicide

[greenbriar]

Saturday, July 24, 2004

A prominent Kansas family is grieving after an apparent suicide. The body of the youngest son of U.S. Representative Todd Tiahrt, Luke, was found this morning in the family’s Virginia home.

Luke is on the right-hand side, standing next to his father, the congressman.

Luke Tiahrt was 16-years-old and the youngest of the three children. He would have been a junior at W.T. Woodson High School in Fairfax, Va.

Luke was born in Wichita and attended Saint Marks in Sedgwick County for first and third grades, then began attending Virginia Public Schools. He played football, lacrosse and guitar. Tiahrt’s political colleagues offer their condolences.

“This is a terrible tragedy,” says state senator Jean Schodorf, R-Wichita.

While little is being disclosed about the cause of his death, sources say Luke was found around 4:30 this morning. No signs of foul play, authorities are handling it as a suicide, which is all too common for teenagers.

“Depression is definitely linked to suicide,” says suicide prevention expert Liz McGinness.

Tiahrt and his other son flew back to Wichita from Washington today. The family has not made any funeral arrangements at this time.

[seabeyond]

1. that is very sad

and i am sorry this father and the mom and other siblings are going to be in the pain they will experience for the longest of times

[JohnKleeb]

2. Thats very sad

I know where Woodson is, we play them often in sports.

[Fed Up]

3. my condolences. Last month the Oregon senator's son did the same thing.

sad.

[Arugula Latte]

4. The son of Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Oregon)

also killed himself recently. I think it was in December or something.

Then Smith came out in favor of more funding for mental health/suicide prevention. I can't understand why so many Repubs think these types of problems don't matter unless it affects them personally.

It's all very sad.

[MariaS]

5. People just don't get it

until it knocks on their door. Then reality kicks in.

[Bozita]

6. Son of Bart Stupak (D-MI) also committed suicide -- Acne drug was in use

Happened a couple of years ago.

Very sad.