(03/30/2010) Heard a tragedy this morning, please take care of yourself and seek help if anyone is depressed.

My dear fellows,

This morning I was told that my friend, Chenghong Jiao, a first-year Chinese graduate student in Electro-Optics Program at University of Dayton, OH, committed suicide yesterday. He killed himself because of depression. I don't know, and don't want to know the details. I burst into tears when I heard of the news and for the first time I start to feel deeply sad and it seems my inside is ripped apart. I just can not believe how a young life could end so abruptly, so easily and by himself, without any warning. Now the whole department and the Chinese student community there is in great sorrow and mourn. I still can't help my tears when I thought of him gone just like that. I feel like I need to do something to prevent the similar tragedy to happen, at least in Clemson community. So I wrote this email.

Chenhong entered Electro-Optics Program at University of Dayton, Ohio in fall 2009. My friends there told me that he has depression before he came to US and his depression just got worse after he arrives. He contacted me in August 2009 for apartment information and I saw him alive, had a little conversation with him when I went back to Dayton this spring break, just two weeks ago. He seems to be a cool kid, looks smart and bright. I know that he became a Christian not long ago, however, I guess the God is not powerful, not almighty enough, at least in his mind. So sad he kept his depression to himself, so sad he did not seek for help, not God's, not his friends', not even his parents'. Now, how can his parents go through this fact. I just can't imagine.

It seems the first year is the most critical period for Chinese student overseas and please take care of yourself. Things are not that bad, please talk to friends, mentors, parents when you are feeling depressed. Please remember a person is not alone by himself, and he is the most important existence to the people who care for him. There is a way out for every bad situation, just seek for help.

I want to inform the whole community this tragedy and my fellows, please help prevent similar case happen around us.

May Chenghong rest in peace.

Best Regards

--
Shuangyang Yang