Collegiate Times

yeah anyone know anything?

yea i heard he was from barringer....n now ppl are tryin to say he was pushed out but i think its pretty impossible since the windows are so small

yea i think its very unlikely he was pushed but who knows?

anybody know the truth before it takes CT and hour to find out

erika i dont konw what happened but i iwll run across the hall when i know

i just wish the family condolences and my best

What is it with people screwing around with their comments on such a serious subject? Come on, keep your comments serious.

I second that..

agree with the last poster. respect the loss of life, this is nothing to make light of. thoughts and prayers should be with his family regardless of circumstances.

anyone know the boys name yet?

I've heard various accounts of what happened. Someone post when they find out what officially happened.

My thoughts are with friends and family. Us students have experienced enough loss this year...

everyone just needs to chill out. stop being immature your in college! and dont say something unless you know it

we need to pray for our campus...

i agree with 9:47

Whoever posted at 9:45, that was completely uncalled for. Why do people think it's appropriate to say things like that? You may not want to attend our university but that doesn't mean you have to say things like that. That's tasteless and rude and inappropriate. Your chances of being shot here are just as high as any campus this size and lower than campuses in more urban areas.

the student that fell lives in barringer...we should get an email soon.

he was taken to montgomery regional hospital

there was also a suicide attempt today in slusher. Maybe it's finals and maybe it isn't, but please keep an eye out for anyone you see that may be having problems and alert someone... you could save a life

Let's stop now. Why is CT letting people comment on this?

i saw all the ambulances at slusher, what happened there. did they threaten to jump out?

Pray for the kid and anyone else troubled in these days.

we are trying to support them by finding out their story so we know how to support them

this is hardly behind their backs. i'm not supporting people for going crazy and not quite being as compassionate as they could be, but this is our campus and i think its perfectly natural for people living so close to want the actual story.

I'm sorry your school has to go through so much. Please know that a girl from JMU is praying and thinking about you all.

God Bless both the guy in Pritchard and the girl in Slusher.. Let's all just try to be there for them and their family and friends if they need us.. GO HOKIES!

Jonathan Jones, Fredericksburg, Va. 19 years old. Comm major. Either jumped or fell. Too bad it shows up on comments before the CT reports it.

God rest his soul.

His name is spelled Jonathan, without the first "h", my condolences to his family.

Our love goes out to the Jones family. We are so sorry for your loss tonight.

to 11:52 - the hokie community lost another hokie today. regardless of whether or not he jumped, i send my condolences to his family and friends and to the residents of pritchard. we are the hokies.

Whoever posted at 11:52 is VERY RUDE!!! I know the family personally and they are devastated obviously!!! Who knows what was going on with Jonathan. No matter what happened... if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all!

I hope he slipped, because if it was suicide then there is much wasted support being given. There are plenty of people I know who have lost their lives that probably would do anything for another minute of life, and people who can't realize the gift they have enough to keep it don't deserve a second of anyones time. I lived in pritchard though, and talked to my girlfriend a lot sitting in the open window sills, and there is almost no way you could possibly slip out of those by accident. So please, if you feel the need to send condolences, do it for someone who cared enough about their life to not end it. (p.s. stop deleting this post, its an opinion, the same as every other thing posted here, and it is NOT abusive. Either let opinions be voiced, or turn off this feature)

So sad. My condolences. Be of good courage, everyone. (The Fredericksburg article is worth reading.)

12:00 get over yourself, who are you to tell the CT what to do with their message boards

I don't understand why people are trying to stop others for sending their condolences to a grieving family. Whatever happened with the boy happened. Fighting over how he died is pointless. He died. We lost a Hokie. Don't be a jerk.

My condolences to his family. God bless him and his family. Anyone know anything about what happened at slusher tower?

12.00 theres a difference between letting your opinion be voiced and just being downright disrespectful to the deceased and his family. He is not here to defend himself, stop being such a jerk.

"Virginia Tech has released the following media advisory: Virginia Tech Police have confirmed a student death on the Blacksburg campus. A preliminary investigation indicates that on Monday evening, at approximately 7 p.m., Jonathan David Jones of Fredericksburg, Va., a first year student majoring in communication in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, fell or jumped from the seventh floor study lounge of East Prichard Hall. He was transported by Blacksburg Rescue to Montgomery Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead. He was 19 years old. Next of kin have been notified. Virginia Tech Police asks that anyone who might have relevant information in this case to call Det. Henley at 231-8121."

if enough people were offended by his comment for it to be flagged and consequently removed, then there's a reason why it keeps getting deleted.

12:09, he's not here to defend himself because he COMMITTED SUICIDE. If he wanted the right to protect himself, he should have thought about that before he decided to cause so much pain to his family and to waste his own life. Of course it sucks for his family, and I feel bad for anyone that loses anyone. But that doesn't mean that any person gets a pass for owning up to their actions just because they killed themselves.

I think we are missing the point here. I was here 4/16 and seeing another lose his/her life strikes one hard. We need to remember he was a Hokie a member of our family not some piece of dirt. God Bless the Hokies and his family

Your opinion on suicide is irrelevant to the loss experienced by his friends, family, and an already wounded Hokie community. Not to mention the first sentence is just insensitive. Please stop.

This is awful. Jonathan was an amazing, talented person and is going to be very very missed. I know I'll miss him terribly and never forget Wadsworth.

12:13 you are absolutely awful. There has been absolutely no confirmed reports his death was suicide. You have jumped to your own conclusions, it would be easy to fall from a window if he was already sitting on the ledge. The bottom line is that you don't know any more than anyone else how this horrible incident happened. If it was a suicide, there shold be no other campus that understands as well as us how sick someone with depression can be. It is a medical condition. He died. Respect that, respect him, respect his family, and respect his fellow hokies.

Jonothan Jones was a great, incredibly intelligent and unique person, and so many miss him. So many students from JMU send their condolences.. Rest In Peace Wadsworth..

Here is a link to the article he wrote for the Free Lance-Star, http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2007/112007/11062007/330347

VCU sends its love and condolences to his family and the Hokie community. God Bless

Good for you, 12:27.

Jonathan Jones was one of the smartest and wittiest people I've ever met. He was also hilarious. I loved and am very thankful for everyday I got to spend with him hours after school and will miss him forever. VCU sends it's love. & I love you Wadsworth Rip darling.

Jon... Rest in Peace. You were a good one. I'm sorry it had to be like that.

Rest in Peace Jon.

12:50 your comment is very immature. Don't associate yourself with VT.

Rest in peace Jonathan.

RIP, I didn't know you, but godspeed on whatever road is ahead.

Rest in peace my dear

may angels lead you in

For those of you who didn't know Jonathan, he was probably one of the nicest people you could ever meet. He was in my French class for 2 years in high school and always added humor to the worse situations. He was an endearing person with wonderful attributes. My prayers go out to him and his family. For those of you who didn't know him, you missed out on an amazing person. Jonathan- you're in a better place now.

/b/ Says bye :(

I'm outraged by some of these comments. How dare you george clinton at 1:19, I can't believe you would think that is funny.

George Clinton, you're not only disrespecting the deceased, his family, and his friends, you are disrespecting yourself and the entire Hokie Nation.

This is extremely unfortunate and my thoughts and prayers are with his family. To those who have been offended by others comments, please try your best to ignore them so that the person who posts them doesnt have to reply with further heinous comments.

possibly some of the most insensitive remarks i have ever seen have been posted here--you are outcasts with no feelings. i have also seen some of the most empathetic and heartfelt condolences--please continue to help us grieve. for those of you in the other bunch, please go away. You serve no purpose and should not be associated with the hokie community right now.

I cannot express how I feel. RIP Johnathan.

Anyone considered he might have been trying to get to the roof? It just occurs to me that if one wanted to commit suicide there are taller buildings around, but if he lost something, like a Frisbee up there, climbing out a 7th floor study lounge window doesn't seem like such a bad idea. From that window you're a short reach to Hokie stone and an accomplished rock climber could probably climb that wall to the roof. Of course one would wait until after dark to try something like that to avoid any unwanted attention from the police. --Just the perspective of a lucky old college student who has survived his own bad ideas.

My heart is aching for Jon's friends, family and our campus. Hokies, take care of each other.

Evanscommitted is not one word, CT.

My heart and prayers go out to Jon's family and friends. My love and prayers go out to the students and to all Hokies. Stay strong and always stand united.

He was my cousin...my favorite cousin because of the hilarious genious he was. He really was a genious. I hope he knew how much he was loved.

Honestly, I feel horribly for Jonathan, that he felt that miserable here to want to do that, and also for his family that must be devastated. However though, with utmost respect, consideration for vt should have occured, look at how our reputation of being a "massacre" and school "murderous" school is still proceeding us.

I did not know Jonathan. No matter the circumstances, it was something horrible. My prayers are extended to his family and friends.

I knew this John in High School. I had one class with him and I will always rember his jokes and smile.

I just don't undestand why. There are so many of us who would've done anything or dropped anything to go help him if he showed signs of needing it. I was really close friends with him in high school. I'm just a wreck right now. I just don't get why. Jon, we'll miss you. Rest in peace.

Sometimes things like this just happen. It's not indicative of VT or any other specific place. It happens everywhere and no one should sit behind their computer typing and judging this kid whether it was an accident or suicide. Condolences to the family.

My response: Perhaps if Virginia Tech in it's theme of "Solomon's Wisdom" hadn't fired all three of their walking campus watch security units shortly before this tragedy, Mr. Jones would of been noticed preparing to jump (or in danger of falling) out of the Pritchard hall window that evening.

VT fired walking units?

Steven - If he wanted to commit suicide he'd find a way!! And what were the walking security guards going to do? Catch him... quit the blame game already.

Virginia Tech's administration has a chronic problem with responsibility. Steger needs to go, and so do many of the VPs. It isn't what Steger did, or didn't do before or during 4/16. It is what Steger hasn't done -after- 4/16. The university is ran by an 'old boys club' that has been here for the last 20 years. Virginia Tech needs new, fresh thinking from people that haven't been here their entire life.

Steger is the best man for the job we can ask for. What Steger hasn't done? Do you mean to tell me that you haven't noticed a difference in the way things are operated? I don't think "fresh thinking" is going to prevent something like this, or numerous other tragedies from happening.

Langdon, hold strong; we are here at Courtland if you need us...Ms. Bates

Steger is far from the best man for the job - Torgersen was the best man for the job and he did a great job while he was Dean and President. We've gone no where with the top research institution initiative and the hard focus on research is hurting undergraduate instruction quality. Steger needs to go.

To the best part of Clue. You were an awesome writer and you were really funny. Sweet Dreams Wadsworth.

This administration is full of sketch. Why is (or did) VT lease a jet that is owned by someone that was on the Board of Visitors? We're not talking Bill Gates and Netjets here. I'm talking about one of Heywood Fralin's planes making regular trips from BCB to DC.

"Steger is the best man for the job we can ask for." Yeah right. Spending that extra 75k on additional clock faces for the alumni tower was a real useful move versus providing campus watch with radios that work, coats that keep them warm, training on how to handle bad situations, and pepper spray if attacked by violent drunks (yes it happens). Good ole' Steger.... he's worth every cent of that 450+k per year he gets. Who cares if the safe ride van is about to fall apart, takes 50 minutes some nights to get passengers because it's so over booked, or if the campus security are able to actually radio something in?

What the heck does the University have to do with this incident? Really, some of you need to get a clue. "Walking units" seeing him before he jumped out? Come on, get real. Three people for a huge campus. This has nothing to do with the University or Steger. Let the facts come out about this person. Maybe he was getting treatment, maybe he wasn't. The system can't possibly find every single troubled person. Treatment doesn't always work for everyone. Blaming total responsibility for this situation or even April 16th on Steger and the University is ridiculous. If you want to go after people, look at the elected officials in this state and country. They have put mental health on the back burner for decades. The facts are all out there, most people just continue to ignore them or make excuses.

My heart and prayers go out to Jon's family, friends, and all Hokies.

The ruling was made "Not Accidental" some us who know Jon aren't convinced. This the 2nd time for us at Courtland.

Quit being defensive, no one is is blaming -total- responsibility on Steger. Just partial. As the University's President, ALL blame falls on Steger, whether or not he was directly connected. That said, there are certainly plenty of other people that need to go too...like the Director of Cook, who "lost" Cho's records AND repeatedly missed red flag after red flag about Cho, who at one point, TURNED HIMSELF IN TO COOK for help. They FAILED. Failed failed FAILED.

good for you 1:54. Rest in peace, Jonathan.

To Langdon Hickman: Pls. know that nothing in this is what you did or didn't do. Someone who chooses suicide is in a totally different mindset; he doesn't see things as we think he should. Sometimes, the decision of suicide brings relief to the person who thinks all problems will be solved, everyone will be better off. If he truly felt suicide was the right action, he would have found a time and place. So I hope his friends and family are gentle with themselves. As terrible as the pain is, it is not your fault.

Poster at 1:28 pm, you're absolutely right about it being an old boys club. Unfortunately, this applies not only to the administration of the university, but also organizations such as the police and rescue squad on campus. They all get the job done, but to what quality is debatable. Do we really have the right people in place for the jobs? Additionally, a lot of what happens in life is highly competitive and operates under the workings of old boys clubs. It sucks. What people also fail to understand is that everything usually is relative in some way to any other thing especially in smaller communities such as VT. I love being a Hokie, but there is beaucracy involved. Higher education is a business.

Some of you are ridiculous. People hang out of those windows and throw water balloons or spit and yell out at their friends. Walking units would have done nothing if they saw someone looking out a window. He would have to hold a neon sign that said "I'm thinking about jumping" for anyone to have noticed. The campus has 22,000 students on and off with 22,000 different agendas.

I think the comments on here are losing focus. Everyone needs to remember that a precious life is gone. We need to pray for his soul and comfort and help those he has left behind.

i have written with John for the past few years, and really loved him. i knew him well and know he couldn't have killed himself. to all who knew him: please remember him for his love for journalism, his headstrong nature, and even his impromptu tap dancing sessions. don't forget how lively and passionate he was. he was and still is my inspiration for wanting to pursue journalism. he was more than just wadsworth. and, langdon, please don't blame yourself. he loved you and you knew him. be grateful for that, instead of beating yourself up over this. i really miss him.

It is obviously Virginia Tech's fault that he committed suicide, we should all blame them for this, Cook Counseling Center can read minds of depressed students and prevent them from committing suicide and Steger is entirely at fault for everything that happens on this campus. Lets fire them all before something else happens. I hope some of you never reproduce because you are so absolutely idiotic.

Stop blaiming Tech and/or Steger. Blaming someone for this doesn't do ANYTHING! Respect the family of and the student that lost his life instead of arguing about this or that. It does nothing good. It simply draws negative attention to a tragic thing that happened and can't be changed.

I think it's obvious that the poster at 4:16 was being sarcastic. Chill out. C'est la vie.

This is all really depressing to read. I lost 2 good friends on April 16th and 2 more friends just 7 weeks later. Obviously this has been a very hard year for so many of us. But you can't just blame everything on someone else. Sometimes things just happen and it is taking me a long time to understand why, but eventually we will all learn from all of this. We cannot get mad at the police or the rescue squad, some of which are volunteering students. We cannot even imagine what they saw on the 16th. And what example did Steger have to go on for reacting to that tragedy? They thought they caught the guy in the first incident, and unfortunately now we have the hard lesson of learning from our mistakes. No one is perfect. But for Jonathan, it is horrible that his life ended so soon, but whether it be from an accident or suicide, depression is a disease unlike any other because you see no way out of your pain and think that you are actually doing people a favor by ending your life. What we need to do now is stop focusing on who to point the finger at and pray for Jonathan's family and friends and hope that he is at peace.

4:16 I see you are being sarcastic and I agree: "Why don't we just blame everyone else." That seems to be what we are thinking. And I don't think everyone commenting was here on the 16th either. We came together like I had never seen, and I am more proud than ever to be a Hokie. I didn't know you Jonathan, but RIP. Let's not let his tragic passing become a forum for everyone else to voice their negativity about VT.

Jonathan Jones, you will truly be missed. You were loved by Courtand High. You were so smart, witty, and funny. You did the best Monty Python impressions, ever. You were one of the greatest people that I had the honor of knowing. You will undoubtedly be missed by all. It truly is a shame that another Cougar has to leave us so quickly. The loss of your life will be mourned by all. I'm proud to have graduated with you, Jonathan. May you rest in peace, you deserve it. I'll be praying for your family.

Hi, I think it is very important that we understand what causes a student to feel depressed and why? we must go beyond all the shirts and having an extended period of sorrow from everyone. We need to think realisticly and realize that there is a problem at colleges. Some have it more than others. With our two death incidents and 4-16, that has Happened in last than ayear , we are obviously a school that, unfortunately, have a this universal problem more than other schools. I believe that we should all begin to focus our attention more on what is causing this 21st century case of depression among students than on how to treat depression.

Sitting in Journalism class, working on the Chronicle with my friends, I always would glance over at Jon and he would constantly be busy at work, trying to improve the paper. He normally would be whistling or talking in some British accent, making the class laugh. His humor was not the only characteristic that many saw. He was also a very determined, hard-working individual. I feel honored to have had the opportunity to work with Jon on the newspaper. He was a very classy, witty guy. I am truly sorry at this horrific event. My thoughts are with the Jones family and all friends that knew this great person.

Also, may Ryan Evans rest in peace and god bless his family.

Jon you were a good person and very talented. I had a few classes with you back in Courtland and I would often see you around campus here at Tech. You will forever be truly missed, and my heart hurts to know that things ended up this way. I was in shock last night when I heard the news and burst into tears. May you rest in a better place and be in peace with yourself, god, and the world. We all love and miss you Jonathan. Take care and watch over us.

No one was blaming the police, university, or the rescue squad. What was said and meant was that when people get to certain positions it's usually due to the good old boys network. It's like how a frat works... friends in high places. That's how life works. Not much is fair. As for depression, it is a horrible condition, but it doesn't necessarily mean that a person wants to end his or her own life. I compare depression to a digging a hole. The deeper the hole gets (the farther you fall into depression), the harder it is for you to get out. People need to recognize depression because the hole does eventually become to big for any one person to get out of by oneself.

According to this article (,http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/Health/story?id=1188772) there are 1100 suicides on college campuses each year, so this is a national problem, not just a problem at Tech.

what happened to ryan evans?

RIP...Jon...overwhelming sorrow

Ryan Edmund Evans committed suicide on Oct. 26, 2002 after falling from the seventh-floor window of Lee

Tech is a wonderful university. I visited about two weeks ago. Everyone looked happy to be there and acted as if nothing ever happend.(4/16) You cant blame for tech for Cho's actions. Im sure if someone knew he was going to go on a killing spree that day something wouldve been done.I have to say NO student looked as if they were scared to walk around. The tragic accident that happened yesterday is no ones fault. It isnt like anyone knew he was goin to fall or jump. If there was someone who was walking by and may have seen him gettin ready to jump or fall what could they have done? Nothing! They could've hollered something to him but that doesnt mean that it would have stopped him. To all the people that are leaving very immature comments you guys need to grow up. 4:16 you cant blame tech. Just because the Cook Counseling Center can read minds of depressed students do u think that they see every student on campus? Just like 6:19 said Tech isn't the only campus that has these problems. College can be a lot of stress. I didn't know Jon but may you RIP. My thoughts and prayers go out to family and friends.

Doug Ainey jumped off the top of the east grandstands of Lane Stadium back on March 24, 1997. Also on Oct. 31st of that year, Mindy Somers, a CT writer, accidentally rolled out of her loft on the 8th floor of Slusher and fatally fell to her death. The sad irony was that it was her birthday and her mother was coming to visit that day.

The Va Tech Rescue Squad is an amazing group of professionals/full time students who do more than just "get the job done". Read the review of their actions on 4/16. It's about the only thing that went right. Good old boys club my ass.

Some of you people are pretty nieve. No one is BLAMING tech for the Cho tragedy or for the recent death at Prichard. The question is one of why Virginia Tech isn't beefing up their security department and providing them with better equipment to help prevent these sorts of situations? Instead, apparently Virginia Tech Police department has fired 3 of their walking campus watch officers, and from what I understand, three of their best people....for getting a cup of coffee at 3am the week it was cold out?!?!?!

can someone post a link to a picture of this kid? I don't think he has facebook but post that too if found. I just want to know if I've seen him before

My prayers are with the family and friends tonight. What another extraordinary loss for everyone; Faculty and staff, students, alumni and other members of the hokie nation alike.

Who knows if he "committed suicide" or jumped out? I agree that if someone was at the right place/right time perhaps he could of been spotted messing around on the roof or maybe talked out of suicide if this was the case. Has an autopsy been done? Was he drinking?

Good old boys club doesn't necessarily apply to how one does a job. It better applies to who gets to do the job. It applies to membership to clubs and organizations. No one is doubting what they did that day was a good thing, but any other rescue squad would have done it just as well. But, that's besides the point. That's not what this article is about.

There was a photo of him in today's CT. Facebook took down his profile once the story broke. It was off about 18 hours after his death.

I really do not think that Jon would have been drinking or taking drugs... If you knew him you wouldn't think so either. And yes, he did have a facebook. You can just search for Jonathan Jones and he's the one from VTech '11 wearing a tux from when he was Wadsworth in last year's play. There's also a RIP Jonathan Jones group on facebook... He was one amazing individual.

I cry when I hear stories like this not for any reason other than VT not addressing what led Cho the eventual 4/16. What is Tech doing to prevent people from sneaking into dorms to harm either themselves or others. Since we're not magicians, we can't distinguish between the one who is sneaking into a dorm for a visit or just for a walk in another dorm. I found out that other people regardless of their affiliation to the University can still follow someone in the dorms. Something should be done about this though we don't know why Jon used Pritchard passing O'shaug and Lee which are just as high.

I'm afraid that the information posted by Steven Miller is correct and accurate. Tech doesn't equip us very well, and alot of our radios are about shot.

I used to think anyone who commits suicide is a very selfish individual because of the pain they put their friends and family through. More recently I've realized, you can't possibly know what someone in that situation is dealing with. So don't judge. My deepest condolences to Jonathan's family and friends

First I'd like to say that my deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of this young man. It is very tragic when a young person has not gotten the help they need to prevent these senseless deaths - whether accidental or purposeful. That being said, the author of the post who wrote that the quality of emergency services on Virginia Tech's campus is debatable writes out of ignorance. Speciffically, the Virginia Tech Rescue squad is one of the finest organizations in the nation with a group of the bravest young people on the planet. Those who served on April 16th did so with professionalism and dignity. Any student on campus can rest assured that dialing 911 from a campus phone will get them a rapid response from some of the finest EMS providers anywhere and they couldnt possibly be in better hands. I did not know this young man, but I know that any and everything that could be done for him was done to save his life. Rivalries and "good old boys clubs" have no meaning when a person is in need and they do not affect the quality of emergency medical care on Virginia Tech's campus. So rather than argue about the rescue squad, focus on the lesson to be learned here. Mental health care is often overlooked until tragedy strikes - just as it was on 4/16. We are all Hokies and our sympathy belongs to the family and friends of this young man - we need not worry about whether something could have been done differently after the fact because we know that everything possible was done.

As a senior a VT I have witnessed VT prior to April 16th and after. Virginia Tech is a university, not an adult babysitting service. Yes, they absolutely have a responsibility to their student's safety. But arent we here to become prepared for the real world? April 16th was one person's fault and he's gone. Hindsight is 20/20. I cant imagine anyone who would have wanted to be in Steger's place on that day and he has all my support. But I dont want security guards walking around campus on the lookout for people jumping out of windows. Thats not what I came here for and thats not how I want my tuition money spent. I dont want Tech interrupting and completely changing college life. What we have at Tech is good and always has been. Yes, I am all for Tech doing everything within reason to protect us but some situations cannot be prevented. People that are determined to commit suicide are going to do it regardless. Thats where being an adult and looking out for your friends comes into play. Thank god he didnt hit anyone on the ground below. My prayers are with him

For final clarity, I wasn't debating the quality of the rescue squads work, just some of their administrative procedures. In fact, my initial post was mainly about the beaucratic nature of organizations on campus including of the very people who run the school. Even then, I wasn't blaming anyone because in reality there's nothing anyone could have done. It's soceity's problem. Everyone assumes that society is always correct in itself. Furthermore, there's an administrative and an operational side to a rescue organization as there is for the university at large. So unless, you know how a rescue squad, university, etc. operates by being a part of one yourself or you work for the state, your opinion in itself is ignorance. I speak from experience. The operational side is in charge during a call, and administrative generally when there are no calls. I was speaking purely of the administrative side. Anyways, they did the job they were supposed to do. I commend them for that. No one deserves a tragedy. I'll just leave it at that. People should rest assured that when they call 911 that they will receive the best care possible. You're right. In addition, dealing with mental health in the United States is a relativly new deal. It is overlooked most often because we know don't know much about it and it's hard to detect. Largely, you will find that one will receive help if they seek it or they become a threat to themself or others. That being said, if someone you know or you yourself ever appear to need help, seek it. No one will look down on you. The double edge sword is the law against the attempt at suicide. It's suppose to be act as a deterrant, but it also makes people scared to tell professionals of their plans if they so have them. Mental health is a tricky subject. The human mind is a great complexity just like the world around it.

I did not know Jonathan, but I want to begin by offering my condolences to his friends and family. He seems like he was a very well liked individual and it is very sad he has lost his life. When I found out about Jonathan's death I was terribly saddened, but as a student that suffers with severe depression I was not at all surprised. For as long as I have been here at Virginia Tech it has been a battle. It is VERY hard to get professors, TAs, faculty/staff, Cook Counseling, friends and even roommates to help you. I feel like even when you are in extreme depths of depression (and crying out for help) nobody is there for you. Fortuantely, I have a wonderful doctor at home and have been on medication for awhile so I can "deal." But for someone who is new to Virginia Tech, still young, first time leaving home, having a difficult time making friends, ect. - life can be VERY overwhelming. And some of you may know this already, but mental disorders are something that tend to show up in your college years. So, with all of that being said, I think as Hokies we need to realize people aren't always going to display signs and you might not understand what they are going through - you might even think they are "stupid" for thinking about suicide, but at the point you MUST find them help. We also need to really look out for each other because sometimes ONE person can stop the worst things from happening. Again, I offer my condolences to Jonathan's family and friends. You are in my prayers!

Very well put Fellow Hokie. I sympathize with you. The Cook Counseling Center serves to be a wonderful resource, but it fails in many ways. It's hard enough for someone to seek help, but even when someone decides to, the CCC doesn't always have appointment openings. This is especially true with psychiatry. This is surprising after what our school has faced in the last year. I know we've all heard this, but America really is in a healthcare crisis in SO many ways. The problem with a healthcare system run in a capitalist fashion is that not everyone can afford care. Usually, it turns out to be one's money or one's life. I guess in some ways we are fortunate to have some care here on campus, but EVERYWHERE in the system are shortcomings. It's a big issue and it only appears to be getting bigger. It's a shame that mental health is viewed as a weakness in society. It causes people to be afraid to admit their shortcomings, and with mental health that's the last thing anyone wants to do. Recognition starts with the friends, family, professionals etc. around you who are usually too consumed with their own lives to notice. It's hard to know who to turn to then. Especially if it's late at night and you're having problems. My plans are to work in emrgency medicine one day. Mental health is an emergency. We just fail to clasify it as such. I offer Jonathan, his friends, family, and anyone affected by tragedy big or small, personal or public, my condolences. We as humans are social beings. We need to take better care of each other as such.

I agree 4:30! Thank you so much! I agree with you 100%. I have a problem explaining the close friends because they think depressed persons or suicidal persons are very selfish. I really hate that mindset and I think that is where it becomes a weakness to society - people who don't understand depression/suicidal thoughts. It is NOT that they are just thinking about themselves - they just really CANNOT take it anymore and they don't realize anybody loves or cares about them. Some people just deal with things differently so we just need to understand that. I think America also has begun to put more and more pressure on the younger generation, which is more than likely the reason for increased suicides. Nevertheless, Jonathan and his family and friends are in my prayers!

I worked with Jon at Marquee Cinemas. he was so smart, witty, and so much fun. this is devastating. i dont understand why this happened :[

I think that the issue at hand is that a precious life has ended and there is much grief and pain as a result. It doesn't matter how or why it happened, nor is there any reason to cast blame on anyone, it doesn't bring Jonathan back or change anything. Who has the right to judge anyone, we all make poor choices at times. The main focus should be support to one another. I am a personal friend of Jonathan's family and have known him for several years. It is very disturbing to know that there are people that are so callous that they can't see past their selfish views to offer support to the surviving family and friends. Jonathan will be greatly missed but his influence and love will live on. How many of you knew the gentle caring side of him, of his willingness to travel to Moldova to help those less blessed than him? He was a wonderfully caring and generous young man that blessed my life in many ways. He will be missed greatly.

I agree that investigating ways to help people in suicidal situations is noble, however let's not sensationalize the problem. 1100 suicides are expected this year by college students, out of an estimated 15.9 million students in US colleges (a 0.007% rate). The overall US suicide rate is roughly 11 per 100,000 (0.011%). This means that college students are committing suicide at a rate 59% lower than the national average. Considering the social and academic pressures students place on themselves, I'd say this is surprisingly low. Any organization with limited resources, like a university, must decide how best to allocate those resources. Spending large amounts of money to combat a relatively rare occurrence is often hard to justify. Instead, VT provides resources like the Cook Counseling Center to help as many students on campus with as wide a variety of psychological problems as possible. This doesn't seem like an unreasonable allocation of resources to me.

i still may be in high school but i have worked with my dad at virginia tech. the windows should have at least somthing to try to protect someone from falling like bars going across the window it may not look the best but it will certainly stop them from falling or jumping out of the windows.RIP HOKIES

I was a freshman when that girl "accidentally" fell from her 7th or 8th story window in Slusher Tower. She was found the next morning by a newspaper boy, IIRC. Even back then the university tried to keep the wraps on it in hopes of protecting the school's image. Nobody then believed the official story that she rolled out of bed and fell out of the window, anyone who's been in the tower knows that would be impossible. Most people suspected either foul play or a drunken escapade, neither of which looks good for the university. So it was quietly handled and neatly put away into the history books so that most people would forget about it and at worst, it would become part of Tech lore, as it appears to have done from reading the comments here.