Double Suicide of Theresa Duncan and Jeremy Blake
I remember seeing some of Blake's work at a gallery once. Lush colors on busy screens. It was too much for me to take in. So I left. Then, last night I happened to pick up a copy of New York Magazine's Fashion, and there was a long, detailed article about the deaths of Theresa Duncan and Jeremy Blake. There are several things I found really interesting about this. One, that it was a double suicide and yet not done together. Two, that they chose completely different ways of ending their lives. Three, that they spent the last twelve years together and yet he had no clue that she was planning on killing herself.
The idea of a double suicide is not uncommon in literature of history. Probably the first couple that most people think of is Romeo and Juliet, whose love affair led them to their deaths. And then there are Tristan and Isolde, in which Tristan is mortally wounded and Isolde feels compelled to follow him rather than live without him. From medieval times forward, this is historically a common and romantic way to die. There are, I'm sure, hundreds of couples who have gone the same route. In the case of Jeremy and Theresa, however, they went a different route. Apparently she had shown no sign of instability or depression, at least according to Blake, who left their apartment for a few hours. When he returned she was in bed, dead from an overdose of bourbon and Tylenol P.M. There was a note stating that she was at peace with the decision. Less than ten days later, Blake took the A Train all the way to Rockaway Beach, where he was seen removing his clothes and walking into the ocean. Two days later, his wallet and pieces of clothing were recovered in the sand. Another two days after that his body was found drifting in New Jersey.
One of my friends lost her boyfriend and one of my friends during college. In the period immediately following his death, she frequently discussed suicide as an option. Fortunately she never tried anything and eventually recovered from this devastating loss. Apparently Blake could not recover.
The idea of a double suicide is not uncommon in literature of history. Probably the first couple that most people think of is Romeo and Juliet, whose love affair led them to their deaths. And then there are Tristan and Isolde, in which Tristan is mortally wounded and Isolde feels compelled to follow him rather than live without him. From medieval times forward, this is historically a common and romantic way to die. There are, I'm sure, hundreds of couples who have gone the same route. In the case of Jeremy and Theresa, however, they went a different route. Apparently she had shown no sign of instability or depression, at least according to Blake, who left their apartment for a few hours. When he returned she was in bed, dead from an overdose of bourbon and Tylenol P.M. There was a note stating that she was at peace with the decision. Less than ten days later, Blake took the A Train all the way to Rockaway Beach, where he was seen removing his clothes and walking into the ocean. Two days later, his wallet and pieces of clothing were recovered in the sand. Another two days after that his body was found drifting in New Jersey.
One of my friends lost her boyfriend and one of my friends during college. In the period immediately following his death, she frequently discussed suicide as an option. Fortunately she never tried anything and eventually recovered from this devastating loss. Apparently Blake could not recover.
Comments