Jessica Starr, a Fox 2 Detroit meteorologist, died at the age of 35, and according to reports on Dec. 12, her cause of death was suicide.
Fox 2 announced Starr’s death on the air, saying she leaves behind two children.
“All of us here at Fox 2 are in deep shock and cannot believe that such a wonderful, bright and intelligent individual will no longer be with us,”
Fox 2 wrote in a statement.
[If you or someone you know needs assistance, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-8255. It’s available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.]
Fox 2 employees reacted to Starr’s death, with morning anchor
Amy Andrews tweeting, “Our hearts are broken.”
On the air, the team gathered to report the news of her death.
“It’s tough to be here today but as a family and thinking of her family, we’re all working to get through this together,” Andrews said, Fox News reported. “Just keep Jessica’s family in your thoughts and prayers as we go through this time.”
The statement from the station reads in full: “Last night we were informed of the heartbreaking news that our friend and colleague, meteorologist Jessica Starr took her life. All of us here at FOX 2 are in deep shock and cannot believe that such a wonderful, bright and intelligent individual will no longer be with us. Her family and friends will be in our thoughts and prayers in the coming days as we all deal with our grief.”
The Detroit Free Press reported that Starr received Lasik surgery for her eyesight and was out of work for a few weeks. She wrote about dealing with dry eye and other issues while recovering from the procedure.
“Yesterday was a struggle for me. I really wanted to come back but I need more time to recover. Please keep me in your thoughts during this challenging time,” she wrote on Twitter on Nov. 14., her last
tweet.
She had been with Fox 2 Detroit since 2012, and she started her career at WLNS-TV (Channel 6) in Lansing, Michigan as a weekend meteorologist, according to the Free Press.
Jessica was a Michigan native and was born in Southfield and was raised in Commerce Township, the station said. She got two meteorology degrees from Michigan State University as well as Mississippi State University.
Lasik Risk?
According to the Mayo Clinic, Lasik surgery can pose risks.“Dry eyes. LASIK surgery causes a temporary decrease in tear production. For the first six months or so after your surgery, your eyes may feel unusually dry as they heal. Dry eyes can reduce the quality of your vision,” says the Mayo Clinic’s
website.
It adds that “glare, halos and double vision” are also possible. “After surgery, you may have difficulty seeing at night. You might notice glare, halos around bright lights or double vision. This generally lasts a few days to a few weeks.”
The Mayo Clinic article, however, doesn’t note the potential for extreme pain that eye surgery procedures like Lasik might cause, according to reports.
The New York Times in 2008 reported that some patients have suffered a great deal of pain following their Lasik procedure—to the point of going on disability or being driven to suicide. “For the last two years I have suffered debilitating and unremitting eye pain,” said one person in the Times
report. “Patients do not want to continue to exist as helpless victims with no voice.” Some people testified at an FDA meeting that same year about unremitting pain that has led to disability, isolation, depression, and suicidal tendencies.
Suicide Hotlines
In the United States, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255. Young people can call the Kids Help Phone on 1-800-668-6868.In Canada, the line is 1-833-456-4566.
In Australia, the crisis support service hotline is 13 11 14 (Lifeline).
