Just over 48 hours earlier, Lemieux was in Montreal carrying the pre-game torch to light up the Bell Centre prior to Game 3 of the NHL Eastern Conference Finals between the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes.
When I look at the scene in which Lemieux is greeted by thunderous applause, it is only natural to wonder what happened in the final hours of his life.
Lemieux was found by one of his sons in the warehouse of their family business. Were there financial problems? Had he been recently diagnosed with an incurable illness? Or has Lemieux been battling depression his whole life despite being a four-time Stanley Cup champion and just decided he couldn't take it anymore? If this was the case, was going from thunderous applause to isolation his breaking point? Did he talk to anyone or did he feel too ashamed to do so?
Of course, such questions could be asked of any of the nearly 50,000 Americans who commit suicide every year or for that matter the approximately 4,500 Canadians who do the same (Lemieux was born and raised in Canada). A majority of these people are not in the public eye and not subject to the same level of scrutiny.
Naturally, we may never know what drove Lemieux to end his life and his family is well within their rights to keep that information private if they so choose. Nevertheless, it won't stop people (including myself) from asking. R.I.P.
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