Marie Osmonds 18-year-old son Michael committed suicide

Friday evening, Marie Osmond’s son Michael Blosil committed suicide in Los Angeles. There’s a lot of information coming out about this, and some of it is slightly contradictory, but the facts seem to be as these: 18-year-old Michael had a history of depression and had been in rehab once, when he was 16 years old; he was adopted, and one of Marie’s eight children with her ex-husband Brian Blosil; Michael left a suicide note; he threw himself off an eight-story building; he was a student at the Fashion Institute in Los Angeles. On Saturday, Michael’s uncle Donny Osmond confirmed Michael’s suicide and simply said: “Please pray for my sister and her family.” Marie Osmond released this statement Sunday: “My family and I are devastated and in deep shock by the tragic loss of our dear Michael and ask that everyone respect our privacy during this difficult time.” Here’s more from People Magazine:

Marie Osmond’s teenaged son, Michael Blosil, has killed himself by leaping to his death around 9 p.m. Friday in Los Angeles, reports Entertainment Tonight, which quotes Marie’s brother, Donny Osmond, as saying, “Please pray for my sister and her family.”

Through her rep, Marie Osmond released a statement Saturday. It says, “My family and I are devastated and in deep shock by the tragic loss of our dear Michael and ask that everyone respect our privacy during this difficult time.”

According to ET, Michael left a note explaining he intended to end his life after a lengthy battle with severe depression that left him, he said, feeling as if he had no friends and could never fit in.

In 2007, Michael, then 16, entered a rehab facility. His mother said at the time, “My son Michael is an amazing young man, shown through his courage in facing his issues. As his mother, I couldn’t be more proud of him.”

The reason for the visit to rehab was never disclosed. Michael is one of eight children Osmond has raised with ex-husband Brian Blosil.

By March 2009, Marie told PEOPLE that Michael seemed to be turning his life around. He was finishing up his last year of high school while living with his mom in Las Vegas, where she and Donny headline a show.

“I couldn’t be more proud of him,” Marie said at the time. “He’s got a 3.9 GPA in high school. He’s looking at scholarships to some wonderful colleges.”

A rep for Donny and Marie Osmond confirmed to PEOPLE that the show at the Flamingo Hotel was canceled Saturday night. It is being determined how long the hiatus will remain in effect.

Marie Osmond, one of nine Utah-bred Osmond siblings, began performing with her brothers at age 3. She has been outspoken about the trials of her own life in the spotlight.

In her 2001 memoir Behind the Smile, she detailed her battle with postpartum depression following the birth of her son Matthew. She also revealed that she had been sexually abused as a child.

She did not identify her abusers but said they were not family members.

In 2006, Marie’s rep denied that the singer had tried to commit suicide, attributing reports about Osmond to the postpartum she suffered.

[From People]

I can’t even imagine how difficult it is for Marie and for the whole Osmond-Blosil family, and obviously, my thoughts and prayers are with them. Marie seems like she’s a really great mom, and last year she even came out publicly in support of her gay daughter, and gay rights and gay marriage in general – which was a contradiction of the Mormon church’s teachings. So, basically, Marie is the kind of mom who puts her kids before any prejudice.

With that in mind, I do have one minor question about this situation, and it’s really only about my own curiosity, and not in any way to disrespect the Osmond family at all. If Michael had been severely depressed for so long – which I believe – the only minor question I have is about any potential prescription medication he may have been on? It seems strange to me that a kid who is so depressed wouldn’t have been on something to help ease his depression chemically. Now, it’s perfectly possible he was on something for his depression, and it simply didn’t work, or it made the depression worse, which happens in some patients. But still, don’t you wonder? Wasn’t this kid taking anything?

Marie Osmond in Las Vegas on December 12, 2009. Credit: WENN.

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