Spring Break
Bernard Herman '08, creative writer, dies at 21
by Rachel Marder and Claire Moses
News | 5/22/07
Posted online at 4:58 AM EST on 5/22/07
Bernard Herman '08, a well-known creative writer and New Orleans activist on campus, took his own life in his hometown of New Orleans on May 12. He was 21.
Herman, who had taken a voluntary medical leave from the University in March, shot himself on top of a levee on the 17th Street canal in his childhood neighborhood of Lakewood South. The canal was the site of one of the levee system failures that caused tremendous flooding following Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.
Adam Herman '04 said his brother, a creative writing major and features writer for the Justice, battled depression since the hurricane and his father's suicide, which was also by gunshot. Herman's father shot himself in the ruins of the family's home last May, Adam said.
Herman may have purchased the gun from a pawn shop or gun dealer, he added.
"I'm sad[,] but I'm feeling like Bernard had a lot sadness in the last couple of months and he struggled really, really hard to comprehend himself and to articulate to others that he felt like he was struggling," he said. "And so what I'm sad about is whatever pain Bernard was in was so great and so powerful that he felt like this was his only option."
Those close to Herman said that his suicide can be closely linked with the recent tragedies in his life.
"He was hurting so bad," Cindy Kaplan '08, a close friend of Herman, said. "Everything kind of fell apart after Katrina." Kaplan said Herman stayed in a psychiatric ward of different hospitals, several times last semester.
"I certainly don't mean to make him unique amongst the thousands who also lost their property, and even their lives, but Bernard was totally crushed by Hurricane Katrina," Adam wrote in an e-mail to the Justice. "Bernard blamed a hurricane not only for sweeping away his life-long house, his car and the spirit of his city, but now also one of his parents. I cannot even imagine how profound his anguish was on May 1, 2007-the one-year anniversary of our father's death."
Herman, who had taken a voluntary medical leave from the University in March, shot himself on top of a levee on the 17th Street canal in his childhood neighborhood of Lakewood South. The canal was the site of one of the levee system failures that caused tremendous flooding following Hurricane Katrina in August 2005.
Adam Herman '04 said his brother, a creative writing major and features writer for the Justice, battled depression since the hurricane and his father's suicide, which was also by gunshot. Herman's father shot himself in the ruins of the family's home last May, Adam said.
Herman may have purchased the gun from a pawn shop or gun dealer, he added.
"I'm sad[,] but I'm feeling like Bernard had a lot sadness in the last couple of months and he struggled really, really hard to comprehend himself and to articulate to others that he felt like he was struggling," he said. "And so what I'm sad about is whatever pain Bernard was in was so great and so powerful that he felt like this was his only option."
Those close to Herman said that his suicide can be closely linked with the recent tragedies in his life.
"He was hurting so bad," Cindy Kaplan '08, a close friend of Herman, said. "Everything kind of fell apart after Katrina." Kaplan said Herman stayed in a psychiatric ward of different hospitals, several times last semester.
"I certainly don't mean to make him unique amongst the thousands who also lost their property, and even their lives, but Bernard was totally crushed by Hurricane Katrina," Adam wrote in an e-mail to the Justice. "Bernard blamed a hurricane not only for sweeping away his life-long house, his car and the spirit of his city, but now also one of his parents. I cannot even imagine how profound his anguish was on May 1, 2007-the one-year anniversary of our father's death."
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Sarah Bernes
posted 5/22/07 @ 3:02 PM EST
IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS CONSIDERING SUICIDE, GET HELP. CALL THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION HOTLINE 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433). THE HOTLINE IS FREE, CONFIDENTIAL, AND AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY. (Continued…)
Post a Comment