October 17, 2024
WINSTON – During this Christmas season many of us will watch the soul-stirring movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” simply because it has become a holiday tradition. In the 1946 Hollywood classic, George Bailey played by Jimmy Stewart, is overwhelmed by family obligations, community responsibilities, a burdensome job, and a life he never wanted to live.
In the depth of his despair George attempts to take his own life on Christmas Eve. His family and friends have been praying for him and their intercession brings about the intervention of George’s guardian angel, Clarence Odbody. Clarence rescues George from his great despair by showing him how he has touched the lives of others and is given a multiplicity of reasons not to take his own life. Consequently, the movie ends on a positive note.
On January 17, 1996, Patrick Alan Rogers, the son of Wayne and Mary Rogers, took his own life at age 23. Since that fateful day Patrick’s dad, Wayne, one of our Georgia Baptist laymen and member of Ephesus Baptist Church in Winston, has become a guardian angel, somewhat like Clarence, investing himself in suicide prevention programs/ministries.
Few things are more tragic and heart rending than the suicide of a loved one. Most of us have friends who have had to cope with parents, spouses, sons, or daughters who have, in the slough of despair, taken their own life.
Many mental health experts warned that the world should prepare for a concurrent increase in the number of suicides due to the COVID-19 pandemic and used phrases like “a tsunami of suicide”, “the dual pandemic of suicide and COVID-19”, and “suicide mortality and COVID-19 – a perfect storm” to stress the potential danger.
The prospect of contracting the illness, the grim broadcasts of the pandemics merciless rampage around the world, grief, financial strain, the mandates and restrictions, the insufficiency of ventilators and medical supplies, social isolation, and the depressing statistical information being propagated by the media pushed many people to the brink of psychosis. Fortunately, the most recent data does not indicate an increased suicide rate during the pandemic, but the ultimate consequences of the pandemic may not yet have been fully realized.
However, suicide is a very real problem in our nation. In 2019 there were nearly two and a half times as many suicides (47,511) in the United States as there were homicides (19,141). It is the tenth leading cause of death in our country and the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 10 and 34.
Patrick Rogers was in the middle of that demographic when he took his life at age 23. His dad, Wayne, described him as driven young man. He commented, “Patrick was an overachiever, particularly in athletics. His football prowess was unparalleled. He became the starting offensive center as a freshman, an accomplishment unheard of in AAAAA high school football. By his senior year, he was starting on both offense and defense.
“He was strong, and at 6’ 2” tall and 240 pounds was able to almost bench press double his weight. He was awarded the Frank Thompson trophy recognizing him as the best athlete in Douglas County. College recruiters were always present for his football games, but his size limited his scholarship offers. He finally chose the University of West Georgia where he became the starting center. What he lacked in size, he made up for in heart and determination.”
“Patrick was also a Christian, having trusted Christ as his Savior at age 12. He was an active member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and his church youth group.
Rogers continued, “Patrick had other attributes; and at the time of his death had married an attractive young lady. From every outward appearance, he certainly appeared to be happy and content.
“After almost 25 years of studying all facets of suicide, I have learned that there are not always indicators or warning signs that someone is on a collision course to self-destruction; and that was true of Patrick, but he did have a degree of depression, but nowhere near the level of others that I have observed. I can only believe that he must have felt that he had not achieved the degree of success in his young adulthood that he desired.”
Rogers added, “Most suicidologists are persuaded that suicides are the most preventable of all deaths. It has been proven many times over that suicides can be prevented by almost any positive action. Even a kind or encouraging word can and has saved lives. Some have the false impression that talking about suicide may plant that thought into someone’s mind and bring about another needless death, but the opposite is true. Showing compassion and having an open dialogue about the issue can reduce the number of attempted suicides. In fact, the Word of God urges us to bear one another burdens.”
When a loved one dies by his own hand family members and friends are flooded with almost unbearable grief, an unfathomable sense of loss and a multitude of unanswerable questions. Rogers asked, “How could he (Patrick) cause me this pain? How could he do such a thing? Then doubt rears its ugly head and you begin to question if he was the one who ended his life. Is it possible that he was murdered? We could only cling to the Lord, pray constantly and receive support from the gracious words and deeds of those who wanted to share our burden.”
God’s Word tells us that our Lord can often take a tragedy and turn it into something of value, something redemptive. Rogers explained, “When Patrick died, I simply could not bear the thought of one more person having to experience the pain I was forced to endure. To me there was no option. I love people too much to idly stand by and watch others tread the same grievous path I had to travel.
Less than 30 days after Patrick’s death I traveled to Spokane, WA, to become certified to teach the suicide prevention course titled, “QPR, Ask a Question, Save a Life.” QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer. The course is designed to save lives by making a positive statement and by asking the simple question, ‘Are you thinking about killing yourself?’” Rogers has trained thousands of people and is willing to make a difference by training others.
Rogers is convinced that many suicides can be prevented and offers suggestions on how churches and concerned individuals can stand in the gap to stem the floodtide of suicides:
For further information or to be trained in “QPR” contact Wayne Rogers either by phone 470-559-1436 or email waynerogers117@comcast.net. The class time is 1 and ½ hours and there is no cost.
