Marking five years since Carly Henley's death

It was five years ago, on October 6, 2010, that news of a 20-year-old college girl's death circulated around the University of Washington and the surrounding city.  For a short time there seemed in the minds of some to be suspicious circumstances but every hint of forensics revealed that suicide had taken the life of inspirational Carly Henley, a young woman early in her Junior year at the U. of W.

Local news media quickly squelched the story while subscribing to long-standing policy of not covering suicide, in order to limit others getting the same idea.

But Carly Henley had really touched the community all around her.  Her life was enviable from almost every vantage point not her own, and she'd done things that people with her genetic blessings don't so often do, in creating a grounded and approachable persona whose raw musical talents could have carried her far.

Nothing has swayed this corner from the belief that Carly's having begun taking the anti-depressant Zoloft less than two weeks before her death was central to the choice she made.  That the warning on the Zoloft package had then only recently been made to include young adults (in addition to children) among those at risk of "suicidality" is largely significant.  Government regulators are routinely slow and well behind the times when it comes to updating standards and similar warnings like that, so the trends had to offer blatantly obvious data to support such an alteration.

The image of personable and revered-by-most Carly Henley has been preserved in exceptional fashion by her friends and family.  Difficult to know how finely-tuned were their instincts when initially conceiving The Carly Henley Project, but despite deep personal loss, Carly's family did a remarkable job of presenting and preserving Carly's spirit for the ages.

People from all around were caused to express themselves, and their pain, in terms of what Carly and/or her story meant to them, and that continues fives years later with each new note of interest or condolence on Carly's YouTube videos.

In 2012 somebody created this awesome video which so accurately chronicles the feelings and online resources which are familiar to so very many regardless of whether they ever knew of Carly Henley while she was on this earth.

What cannot be tallied or summarized are the countless individuals who have been inspired at one point or another to give added consideration to speaking up toward somebody who seems to be feeling down, or who seems a little off.  There are surely others who, when near the depths of despair, witness Carly's vibrance on YouTube, and perhaps *jolt* themselves into reaching-out to confide in someone when it counts the most.

Yes, Carly Henley was somebody that nearly everyone wanted to look at, and that unique element surely draws attention from people who go on to help save somebody else, or perhaps even themselves from knowing a fate similar to Carly's.  Had Carly not lived when she did, it may be far less likely that her gentle personal vibe could be conveyed along with the pictures and the music.

But as it stands, Carly's sought-after appeal just glistens from everything connected to her 2015 image and you can thank those in her inner circles for that, now as much as when she shared this earth with all of us.  Carly's CD, "Love The Skin You're In", is filled with gentle, soulful music and it can still be purchased at spots around the internet, and this corner can't recommend it enough.  The CD has become quite the little keepsake and a flattering representation of a sincere and gracious human being.

Hopefully five years time has helped most to ease the pain and gain much more from the good times they remember, and from the image of Carly they continue to carry in 2015.  Those image refreshers on YouTube never really get old, so hopefully many will take time out of the days ahead to stop and play some of Carly's videos and remind themselves of just how compelling she continues to be.

October 6, 2015 is a day for remembering...