Like many of you I'm hesitant to post on threads like this. As a minister who is on first call from funeral homes for folks without a minister, I probably do 5-10 funerals a year of folks who kill themselves. The reasons are as diverse as the people. I've tried to wrestle with it just so I can sleep at night. The best thing I've come up with is borrowed from Bill Glasser who wrote the books Reality Therapy and Control Theory.

Glasser says that when we are in difficulty our creativity kicks in trying to find a solution. Sometimes it comes up with something great-a solution for a marriage problem, a line on a new job, a handle we can grip that keeps us from going over the edge emotionally.

Sometimes our creative mind in its desperation suggests suicide. To one who is suicidal, that is the best solution they can come up with at that moment. The problem-when you choose to go down that road, particularly if you use a gun, its a road you can't walk back. The tragedy is that POSSIBLY if you wait a few minutes your creativity may give you a solution that works. But if you've chosen to pull the trigger, the story is over

To my way of thinking suicidal ideation is ones creativity getting stuck in that suicidal thought process. Sometimes folks just can't turn it off, or find something different.

Does this make it easier for the folks whose lives are wrecked by the action of a loved one? No, but maybe it helps them see that the person was in immense pain, and that (hopefully) it wasn't done to spite them

I don't claim to have any idea why Butch made the choice he made, I don't know there is a "reason" I'm guessing he was in a lot of emotional pain, maybe from finances, maybe something else. All I can say is as a fan I'm heartbroken, and all I can do is pray or send good wishes to those who loved him, and wish I could do more

I don't post here much (I'm mainly on a few Elvis Presley forums) but I am a big fan of the band and I will say that when I first saw reports of Butch's passing (and the article stated "heart attack" even before the real truth came out), my hands literally started shaking and when I saw the real reason that Butch left us, I was angry, pissed, and heartbroken about the situation - especially Butch's wife since she was there when it happened.

I can't (nor do I want to) imagine that horror and now loss and heartbreak and grief that she is feeling right now along with Butch's grandkids & his nephew, Derek. Im extremely sad for him.

We'll never know exactly why he chose to leave this way but - there is a huge void left in this world because he's not here anymore. 🙁

When someone is just gone and you don't get time to get used to the idea that they will be gone, it just leaves sadness. That's what people are dealing with now, aside from the rest of it, it's just sad.

Linus thanks for that perspective. I salute you for taking on such a difficult task.
I think you hit on a very important point when you brought up the timing.
Just one dark moment added with a bad decision and it's over.
The relationship we all had with Butch makes it very unique situation.
Butch for me was always the pillar of strength and a survivor against the tragic passing of Duane, Berry, and Woody.
Butch was still able to play at an amazing level.
So it's even more difficult to accept this could happen.
Does money really matter in the end?
The crazy politics of the world we live in today?
Of course none of these reasons matter enough to logically explain what happened.
But yet it did happen and now we all have to move on and realize that life is precious and fragile.
Take care of yourselves.
Take care of each other.