The problem with this statement is, that the first serious episode of anything is, well, the first
I think this case shows plain old mental health stigma. People think he could not possibly have a serious mental health problem because he was smart and successful and "I never saw him having any problems".
As for his family, they have said themselves that Terrence was living abroad for a long time. How much of intimate knowledge do they really have as for his mental health? How would his parents on the other side of the ocean know if he was, for example, being a bit manic a year ago? Or hearing some voices once or twice during the previous years? Do people really tell such things to their far away parents over the phone? If he spent long streches of time with different crews at different places, could maybe some warning signs have been missed more easily, as the people did not really know him before? What prompted his decision to move back home?
I have bad news for people who think that mental health problems only affect "a certain type" of people. A lot of it is genetic. And most people are completely fine, at least to other people, until une day they are not fine (clinical treshold of something is exceeded). More so, if they are smart, successful and have good self-control.
The average onset of bipolar is at 25 years. Fits darn well with his high drive and creativity, btw. IMO he is a bit old for a first psychotic episode of shcizophrenia for a male, but not extremely so. And he is pretty spot on for schizoaffective disorder onset, too (early to mid-20s).
