by Timmy Corbett

The ranger organization learned today as we all did, that Roman Lyashenko’s death was indeed a suicide. Very hard to understand, the hard working center had shown he could work through most obstacles on the ice, in the end he couldn’t overcome his humanity. The why’s and how’s of suicide are often confusing, especially for someone so young, with so much to live for.

He was one of our “kids”… a term I used first when I was about eleven describing someone probably a decade older than me. Most ranger fans have soft spots for the kids, we even root for them and keep tabs on them when they are traded. (which is quite frequent) Like most, not only do I want the youngsters to help my team, I want them to do well no matter what. Fans always want to cheer if you give them anything to cheer for.

Recently, football quarterback Terry Bradshaw went public speaking of his extended depression. The roar of the crowd, the championships aside, weren’t enough. He couldn’t control his all too human emotions.

Stephan Richer, likewise described his depression citing a train ride back to Montreal after winning the Stanley cup with the Devils. He said that it was supposed to be one of the happiest times in his life, but he cried the whole way. Winning championships sometimes isn’t enough to battle humanity.

We are so used to seeing professional athletes of all sports doing the worst of all things, we hardly notice anymore. From battling drugs and alcohol, to rape and murder to… well, punching mascots. It is indeed a sad day to see someone overcome and to take his own life. someone so young, with such potential and in the end… so human

Roman, we hardly new ya