A Brief History
It is believed that on April 5, 1994, Nirvana front man, Kurt Cobain, killed himself with a shotgun blast to the head. He was only 27 years old and had been a brilliant musical success, his band having sold over 75 million albums worldwide.
Digging Deeper
Despite being rich and successful, Cobain was depressed and got into trouble with drugs, specifically heroin. Sadly, it seems drugs are at the root of many celebrity suicides and accidental deaths.
Cobain had not always had it so good. He had dropped out of high school and had been kicked out of the house by his mother and went through a period of being homeless. While still a struggling young musician, Cobain had been ordered by a girlfriend to “get a job,” which must have reminded him of his mother’s treatment of him.
When success finally came, Cobain had a hard time coping with it and complained that he felt hounded by the media and misunderstood by his fans. His liberal political ideas concerning gay rights, racial equality and pro-choice stance got lost in the music.
Suffering from physical ailments such as chronic bronchitis and abdominal pains of unknown origin, he readily resorted to all sorts of drugs until he settled on heroin. He was even diagnosed as having ADD and hyperactivity. He was also bi-polar and had a family history of mental illness and suicide.
His initial attempt at rehab failed and, he went back to heroin. His wife, Courtney Love, was not much help either. When Cobain overdosed in 1993, instead of calling an ambulance, she gave him a shot of Narcan to counter effects of the drugs. In March of 1994, in what Love said was a suicide attempt, Cobain again overdosed, this time on Rohypnol and alcohol. She had, however, learned from her previous mistake and had Cobain taken to a hospital.
Love’s inconsistent “help” continued when she called Seattle Police saying Cobain was suicidal and that he had locked himself in a room with a gun. The police responded and confiscated some guns, but Love retracted her statement and told them she had not seen a gun and that Cobain had not actually threatened suicide. Finally, Love and Cobain’s inner circle intervened, and, in late March of 1994, had him sent to a detox facility from where he escaped by climbing over a wall.
Cobain disappeared, and Love hired a private detective to find him. Unfortunately, he was not found until he had already been dead for 3 days, still wearing the hospital bracelet from the detox center. He had left a suicide note addressed to his childhood invisible friend.
Even with the world in their hands, successful celebrities still commit suicide. Notable suicides (40 years old or younger) include: Freddie Prinze; Peter Duel; Margaux Hemingway; Sid Vicious; Lee Thompson Young; Marilyn Monroe; Jovan Belcher; Jiah Khan; Gia Allemand; Freddie E; Chris Benoit; Cheyenne Brando; Quentin Hubbard; Mindy McCready; Alexander McQueen; Sylvia Plath; Savannah; Jean Seberg; and Sue Williams. The list goes on and on…
It is hard for average people to understand how others with money and fame could throw it away by committing suicide, but apparently personal problems are relative rather than absolute. If you are feeling hopeless and helpless, we encourage you to seek help. If any of your friends or family members are at risk of suicide, encourage them to seek help as well and be forceful about it if necessary. Meanwhile, RIP Kurt Cobain, many people miss you.
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Historical Evidence
For more information, please see…
Cross, Charles R., Lloyd James, et al. Heavier than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain. Blackstone Audio, Inc., 2006.
