I learned of the death of college student Carly Henley two days after her passing, on October 6, 2010. In the days soon to follow it became clear that scores and scores of people were wounded to the core by the loss. Wonderful evidence around the internet serves to almost suspend Carly Henley's personable allure, her impressive musical talent, and a short life the likes of which most anybody could envy.

Various reports tell of her short term struggle with depression of perhaps three months in duration. Significant in that was the introduction of anti-depressant drug Zoloft via prescription some two weeks before Carly took her own life.

Not lost on me now, finally, is the wording in the "Black Box Warning" with Zoloft, which states that antidepressants may increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in persons younger than 25. Risk is especially heightened during the first two months of taking anti-depressants.

The labels on anti-depressant drugs in the U.S. were altered to reference young adults aged 18 to 24 just three years earlier - in 2007.

It is my belief, now, that Carly just happened to land among the small percentage of anti-depressant users who are susceptible to being so affected by a powerful drug such as Zoloft.

One need not ever have known such a remarkable woman to feel the pain all around at the loss of Carly Henley.


So many life lessons are so well represented by Carly Henley's compelling spirit. Let me see if I can help some to gain fuller appreciation for a woman who continues to inspire everyone who ever knew of her.



Just the sort of reason why this website exists

Today I was browsing through Carly's YouTube video collection when I happened upon a note recently written there:

Three days earlier a young woman from Singapore wrote:

"So strange. I was just looking for Chariot covers here and came across this video then I read the comments, got curious and did a little search about her on google and now I'm crying. Especially since just a month ago I came close to doing what she did and I just. Amazing coincidence."


So I became inclined to log-in to this blog and find that, sure enough, it had been visited from Singapore within the past week, with a handful of entries having been viewed three days ago.

Nobody can bring Carly Henley back, but I hope that it helps somehow that those lucky enough to savor her YouTube presence can gain a quick and semi-thorough sense of Carly when combining her impressive music and the understanding they might gain through this blog.

Carly's story seems to impact most in ways very similar and I'm confident that everybody is left guessing just how far Carly might have climbed had she lived out her life.  While I am aware of the logic followed by the media in not talking about most suicides (to limit 'copy cat' suicides), I just hope, and get the feeling that perhaps Carly's story impacts people in a different fashion.

It isn't easy to reason your way beyond a sense of Carly having had a whole lot going in her favor on earth, and perhaps much more than most that way.  I can't help but feel and hope that perhaps to learn of Carly's story in some detail might cause others like the young woman from Singapore to feel a considerable "jolt" of the sort those thinking about suicide don't tend to get/feel often enough before they make their choice.

Carly Henley's "jolt" of ... LIFE, really... is probably unlike others in that every image of Carly on earth projects the sort of a human that people in large numbers want to be, or be near.  I'm hopeful it is that sort of clarity about Carly's appeal which might impact people (who aren't so sure of themselves and of their futures) to/from a depth not easily reached by conventional reaction to depression and suicidal thoughts.

Few can probably imagine just how far Carly Henley might have soared in life, for her having left this earth while on a trajectory which seemed to know few limitations.  I just hope that element is central to how those who are struggling tend to react when they learn of Carly's story.  Carly Henley's impact remains very powerful more than 2 1/2 years since her death.  It is my further hope that those contemplating a similar fate will react strongly to that Carly Henley "jolt" and reason, at least, that Carly made the wrong choice for herself.  Maybe it isn't so great a stretch to imagine some of those jolted  by Carly's life story being caused to re-think and re-value their own lives, in order so that they can live to know the answers that we don't have about Carly Henley.


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1 comment:

  1. Alexa JarvisJuly 3, 2013 at 1:47 AM

    Carly, thank you for your sweet note. Your blog looks great. I am going to update my blog about my travels in Italy. Feel free to keep up to date. Hope you are well & happy. Thank you for reaching out.
    Love,
    Alexa

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