Found Deceased TX - Leanne Bearden, 33, Garden Ridge, 17 Jan 2014 #11

[Lilibet]

I'm sure that is true, she had many. But I'm very curious about how one would go about such a foundation. You'd need psychiatrists, and all manner of information from those who know how to deal with mental illnesses.

Oh well, maybe over time, we'll find out what he intends to do in real time. I'd love to offer hope and not have any young woman commit suicide thinking their lives are over in such a way or that they have nothing left to live for so young, as Leanne or my own daughter, but I haven't a clue how one would possibly go about it. Not a clue. Unless it was a huge foundation with medical expertise willing to help out, perhaps donate their time.

I agree that it will be a huge undertaking and I hope Josh will be able to gather the help he needs to put something of value together. Maybe if it is focused on young high achieving women, it would fill a niche. It will be a steep learning curve for him, but I imagine it would help him a lot to see something good come out of this tragedy. I wish him the strength to follow through.

 

[ami]

I'm sure that is true, she had many. But I'm very curious about how one would go about such a foundation. You'd need psychiatrists, and all manner of information from those who know how to deal with mental illnesses.

Oh well, maybe over time, we'll find out what he intends to do in real time. I'd love to offer hope and not have any young woman commit suicide thinking their lives are over in such a way or that they have nothing left to live for so young, as Leanne or my own daughter, but I haven't a clue how one would possibly go about it. Not a clue. Unless it was a huge foundation with medical expertise willing to help out, perhaps donate their time.

My guess is the first order of business will be to hire someone who knows how to start a foundation and manage money. Josh and Leanne appear to have a good group of educated professional friends, so I'm sure Josh will have some good guidance in that regard. And it makes sense that he begins collecting money for it immediately, as 1) it gives her friends and family something positive and forward-thinking to do, which they will desperately need, and 2) Leanne's story and face were fresh in the news and this is when people would be most motivated to give.

I donated during the search and again after she was found, and my assumption was that the family probably wouldn't have any kind of organized, solid foundational infrastructure in place yet, but would naturally move in that direction after they spent time dealing with Leanne's remains and memorial services.

I think this cause is one that is so necessary precisely because of the kind of comments that people made about the case - "there's no way she committed suicide - she looked happy!" and "the Leanne people described was full of life with everything to live for, so I seriously doubt she would have..." When in fact people unfortunate enough to have experience with serious depression know that you can't judge someone's emotional health on how much they're smiling or seeming to engage in life. So a foundation dedicated to educating people on the reality of depression (and hopefully in the future Josh will feel more comfortable describing more about the reality of Leanne's struggles) is very necessary. I hope her family and friends do move forward with it and spread the word. I won't judge them if they do some groundwork before finalizing a business model for the foundation - I hope they do, even if it means we don't get to see the final product immediately.

 

[liltexans]

The foundation Josh is starting is called the Up Foundation. Here's the link to the FB page:

https://www.facebook.com/upfoundationforhope

and the link to the future website:

http://upfoundationforhope.org/

 

[RSC]

No worries and I hope you didn't think I was saying YOU were irreverent.

At the end, Azusa points out that no one is really alone and we all need to take care of each other.

I wish we could devote whole threads like this to strangers BEFORE something sad happens, if that makes sense. There are people in despair out there who maybe wouldn't be if they could see how many lives they had the power to touch. I wish some of them didn't have to vanish before people started paying attention to them.

There should be some kind of an Oprah lottery. ("YOU get a forum thread devoted to you, and YOU get a forum thread devoted to you, and YOU!")

I just went to a memorial service a few weeks back for a friend's husband who committed suicide. The service was packed, literally hundreds of people there to talk about how wonderful he was and how he had touched their lives. I don't know if that knowledge could have saved him, but it is interesting to think about. And sad.

 

[alreetlike]

I just went to a memorial service a few weeks back for a friend's husband who committed suicide. The service was packed, literally hundreds of people there to talk about how wonderful he was and how he had touched their lives. I don't know if that knowledge could have saved him, but it is interesting to think about. And sad.

My stepsister committed suicide a few years ago when she was home alone on a Saturday night. I went to her funeral and as I looked around the church, and as everyone packed into the crematorium afterwards, it was absolutely heartbreaking to think that someone was so loved and yet had felt so alone one night that she couldn't pick up the phone to any one of these people who would have rushed to help her.

 

[Mouse]

For anyone who's interested in knowing more about memorial foundations, etc., I think the Kristin Brooks Hope Center is a really good example. It can be difficult to keep a foundation going for the long haul, but Hopeline is still going strong after at least a decade, if I remember correctly. (Kristin Brooks committed suicide while struggling with postpartum depression, and her husband started the foundation after her death.) I remember reading about Hopeline several years ago, when they partnered with the founder of PostSecret. (For those who may not know, PostSecret is a site where people send in anonymous postcards where they've written secrets that they need to get off their chest. As you can imagine, a number of those have been related to suicidal thoughts, which is why PostSecret decided to partner with Hopeline.) I don't know much about depression or suicide hotline counseling or anything, but the Hopeline site always stuck in my memory as a good resource for those issues.

Obviously I don't think Josh Bearden is going to read this or anything...but for anyone here who is interested in checking out an ongoing memorial foundation started in similar circumstances, or reading a bit about one man's struggle to move ahead in a positive fashion after losing his wife to suicide, here are the links:

http://www.hopeline.com/
http://twloha.com/blog/survivor-reese-butler

...and
http://postsecret.com/
(careful! The PostSecret site is an addictive time-suck. I should send in a postcard confessing that I've spent an entire afternoon on WS when I should be grading papers.)

 

[highflyer]

I reported it and FB didn't care,I think the potential for lawsuits for slander and using Leannes picture without copyright permission caused the matter between the ears to make way for the hearing canals.

Been pondering this. Leanne's picture has been posted here numerous times and have never heard the copyright permission issue brought up. Why the difference?

 

[Kimster]

Been pondering this. Leanne's picture has been posted here numerous times and have never heard the copyright permission issue brought up. Why the difference?

We require links to credit the original website.

 

[highflyer]

I feel like the family was saying something in that ballpark. She "might be emotionally vulnerable" was probably the thin line they walked between wanting to say that she was depressed and wasn't necessarily making good decisions for herself and not wanting to strip her of privacy or dignity had she actually just run away for a while. They must have held HUGE hope that it wasn't the worst case scenario of suicide.



They took and used his dead wife's picture without permission and called him a killer while he was trying to arrange memorial services and her cremation. Your medical records are "censored" because you have the right to keep them private if you wish. Should we all be suspicious that there is a conspiracy involving your cholesterol levels, or just accept that there are parts of someone's life that are private by right? The inside of everyone's body and mind are not open for public consumption unless the person gives the public that right. That's a basic human right - not a conspiracy.

And by the way, this is the most OPEN case I have ever been part of. Her husband was one of the most open spouses of a victim I've read about during the investigation. Their blog was an intimate look into the last 2 years of their lives. The family was responding to WS members within seconds of asking questions. The details we now know about Leanne are the type that are usually not revealed until years later when the family has had time to grieve and process and start to heal, perhaps writing a book about that horrible time, like Sharon Rocha did. The fact that we know so much about Leann's family's feelings and thoughts and grief is in my experience on WS unprecedented.

I'm actually surprised at how many people who used to suspect Josh have turned around and become some of his biggest supporters. It's a testament to his openness. No one will ever convince 100% of the public of anything. There will always be type 1 error types. The people who need to be convinced for the sake of the law and support of the family are all on the same page.

What an interesting post.

 

[Leomoon80]

From Ami: Ref:

I'm actually surprised at how many people who used to suspect Josh have turned around and become some of his biggest supporters. It's a testament to his openness. No one will ever convince 100% of the public of anything. There will always be type 1 error types. The people who need to be convinced for the sake of the law and support of the family are all on the same page.

Are there such people? I did not notice them but then again, I lost count of this thread's posts many moons ago.

I don't think I have an opinion one way or another as to fault.

Not enough is known to come to such a decision in my view about their life together or the young woman's emotional and mental state. So it's impossible to ever know. Only surmise and guess and wonder.
At least in the case more recent of Mick Jagger's girlfriend of long standing, or ex g.f. whichever the truth may be, there was a suicide note to someone, but the contents not released.

Here, I don't think Leanne left such a note, but I may be in the dark about that too., or an email or something to someone.

 

[greenpalm]

Has there ever been a toxicology report for Leann? I looked today, but could not see that it had been reported, only found the initial autopsy findings that were pending toxicology. I assume toxicology changed nothing, I was just looking for that final epilogue.

 

[pamlet]

They've completed the autopsy and closed the case..

http://radionb.com/news/local-news/...ans-death-suicide-authorities-say-case-closed

Continued prayers for the family..

 

[Cardinal47]

My stepsister committed suicide a few years ago when she was home alone on a Saturday night. I went to her funeral and as I looked around the church, and as everyone packed into the crematorium afterwards, it was absolutely heartbreaking to think that someone was so loved and yet had felt so alone one night that she couldn't pick up the phone to any one of these people who would have rushed to help her.

I think of that often. If only they would have reached out and told somebody of their pain. Sigh...

I am so very sorry for the loss of your stepsister. Hugs to you!

 

[liltexans]

Autopsy results released Thursday for Leanne M. Bearden concluded that she hanged herself with clothesline not far from her in-laws' Garden Ridge home from which she'd vanished Jan. 17.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Autopsy-finding-of-missing-woman-suicide-5411034.php

 

[liltexans]

For any other locals, I just saw a news teaser on Kens 5 that they will air a new interview with Josh tonight at 10. Josh is going to speak about losing Leanne.

 

[liltexans]

I just watched the report on Kens 5. It was a really long interview and I hope they post the video on their site. Josh did divulge information that wasn't previously released.

Among the many sad things he revealed were that Leanne insisted she was fine and was not receptive to getting psychological help or counseling. The tree trimmer actually saw Leanne walk to the end of the street, turn around, and walk back to her in-laws' house, where she stood at the end of the driveway and stared at the house for about a minute before turning around and walking away.

Apparently she stood on a little piece of wood like a stump under the tree and kicked it out from under herself to hang herself.

Josh is going to hike in Spain this summer and bury some of Leanne's ashes along the way.

There was a lot of information I hadn't heard before and it just makes me even sadder.

 

[KateB]

I just watched the report on Kens 5. It was a really long interview and I hope they post the video on their site. Josh did divulge information that wasn't previously released.

Among the many sad things he revealed were that Leanne insisted she was fine and was not receptive to getting psychological help or counseling. The tree trimmer actually saw Leanne walk to the end of the street, turn around, and walk back to her in-laws' house, where she stood at the end of the driveway and stared at the house for about a minute before turning around and walking away.

Apparently she stood on a little piece of wood like a stump under the tree and kicked it out from under herself to hang herself.

Josh is going to hike in Spain this summer and bury some of Leanne's ashes along the way.

There was a lot of information I hadn't heard before and it just makes me even sadder.

Thanks for the headsup. - I found the link.
http://www.kens5.com/news/Joshs-Sto...-the-husband-of-Leanne-Bearden-257260381.html

Not a video yet, but a transcript & picture editorial. I'm sure the video will follow soon.

 

[liltexans]

Josh's Story

https://creatavist-g49brf5.creatavist.com/untitledproject-6hsv4#chapter-90945

 

[LayzeeDayzee]

I read/viewed Josh's Story. Very very moving. My heart goes out to him, I can't even imagine his loss.

Question - he mentioned that Leanne had been found with HIS backpack, that was full of energy bars, water and 3 garbage bags. Can anyone explain WHY they think she took his backpack? And why the garbage bags?

 

[CHERIE.T]

I read/viewed Josh's Story. Very very moving. My heart goes out to him, I can't even imagine his loss.

Question - he mentioned that Leanne had been found with HIS backpack, that was full of energy bars, water and 3 garbage bags. Can anyone explain WHY they think she took his backpack? And why the garbage bags?

I suggest reading the thread that began with her being found. :seeya:

Finally found an article about the backpack.
Leanne grabbed a backpack in the garage on her way out....it was her husband's. Doesn't seem to be more than that.