Ray Rice’s disclosure about his recent suicide contemplation reminded us—in a jarring way—that suicide, even amongst celebrities, is a very real (and very scary) possibility.
To put it simply, suicide is no laughing matter. Far from being “grist for the gossip mill,” a suicidal celebrity is amongst the estimated 19 million Americans who suffer from bouts of depression (sometimes to the point of successfully committing suicide) every year.
Here is a list of celebrities who have tried (and sometimes succeeded) in committing suicide.
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Photo: AP Photo
Vanilla Ice
No matter what you think of his music, no one should feel as though they’re unworthy of living. But that’s exactly what the rapper-turned-real-estate entrepreneur felt like when he tried, twice, to commit suicide in 1994.
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Tina Turner
Without Tina Turner, there would be no Beyonce. But this musical legend was on the brink of suicide in 1968 (and having an abusive husband in Ike Turner didn’t help, of course).
Photo credit: WENN.com
Owen Wilson
The funnyman was in no position to laugh when, on August 26, 2007, he was found dazed and bloodied after a failed suicide attempt. Sources close to the actor cited a recent blowup with a fellow actor as the reason for his suicide attempt. He was later transferred to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles to get treated for depression.
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Halle Berry
The Oscar-winning beauty admitted to being suicidal shortly after her marriage to baseball great David Justice ended. Though she vowed to never get married again, she had another unsuccessful marriage to Eric Benet…though, thankfully, no further suicide attempts thereafter.
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Richard Pryor
The legendary comedian got miles of laughs surrounding the joke that he set himself on fire while lighting up a crack pipe. Later in his life, however, Pryor admitted that he really lit himself on fire in a failed suicide attempt.
Photo credit: AP Photo
Elton John
The legendary piano man attempted suicide in the 1980’s due to the repression of his sexuality. His longtime collaborator, Bernie Taupin, found him with his head in a gas stove and got him help just in time. Now living life as an openly gay man, he says that he’s never been happier.
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Terrell Owens
The football star took an overdose of prescription painkillers in 2006, while sitting out the football season due to an injury. Though he was treated for clinical depression, he later denied that his overdose was a suicide attempt.
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Michael Jackson
During his second molestation trial in 2005, the late great King of Pop admitted to trying to commit suicide. He didn’t succeed, of course, and he was later found not guilty of all the charges against him.
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Ken Griffey Jr.
The baseball great attempted suicide by overdosing on aspirin in 1999, after a particularly noxious fight with his father. He recovered after extensive treatment in intensive care.
6. Britney Spears
It’s no secret that the pop princess has seen some rough days. During her “breakdown days,” she tried to commit suicide twice: once by sitting in the middle of Los Angeles traffic, and another time by overdosing on Xanax.
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5. Frank Sinatra
The legendary Rat Packer suffered with bipolar depression for nearly all of his life, and this undiagnosed disorder led to him attempting to commit suicide on several occasions, most notably during his marriage to Ava Gardner (which ended in 1959).
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4. Donna Summer
At the peak of her career in 1976, the disco diva attempted to commit suicide by leaping from an 11th story window. Her housekeeper found her before she could jump.
3. Sammy Davis Jr.
Another legendary Rat Packer with a troubled background, this groundbreaking singer & dancer was at the receiving end of a lot of criticism due to his race and his religion. He finally tried to end it all with a suicide attempt on the night of his marriage to Loray Wright.
Photo credit: AP Photo
2. Mike Tyson
We forget that there was a time when the now-lovable boxing icon was a feared, fierce opponent in the ring. But the pressure to perform got to Iron Mike when, in 1988, he wrapped his car around a tree in what the New York Daily News called a “suicide attempt” at the time.
Photo credit: WENN.com
photo: WENN
1. Eminem
Behind every genius is a bit of madness, and Eminem showed that madness when he tried to commit suicide in 1996, after his then-wife, Kim Mathers, ended their relationship and refused to let Em see his child. It seems, too, to run in the family: his beloved uncle Ronnie (whose death is referenced in the song “Cleaning Out My Closet”) committed suicide when Em was still a teenager.
If you, or someone you know, is contemplating suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800)273-8255. The line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
