Kettering, from Stewartson, had lived a life of adventure, climbing mountains and enjoying ‘intense’ pursuits like paragliding and snowshoeing
A quadriplegic man has killed himself by rolling his wheelchair off a dock and into 15 feet of water.
David Kettering, 58, was at Codorus State Park in Pennsylvania with his two carers when he plunged himself into the lake.
The father had lost feeling below the neck after a tragic skiing accident in 2014 and had recently blogged about living in ‘anxiety’ and ‘misery’.
Kettering, from Stewartson, had lived a life of adventure, climbing mountains and enjoying ‘intense’ pursuits like paragliding and snowshoeing.
In his blog, Kettering wrote about his life both before and after his accident, explaining the ‘intense depression’ and frustration he felt at being ‘stuck in the house’ after his accident.
One of his carers, Sacha Taylor, was only a few feet away from him when he made his fateful decision on Sunday.
Taylor called 911 after he fell in, while his other carer dived after him.
‘She jumped right in and was trying and trying, and I thought she was going to drown herself,’ Taylor said, according to the Detroit Free Press.
In his blog, Kettering wrote about his life both before and after his accident, explaining the ‘intense depression’ and frustration he felt at being ‘stuck in the house’ after his accident. Pictured left and right: Kettering before the accident
Lifeguards then arrived but it was too late and Kettering was declared dead at 6pm. He was strapped into his wheelchair.
Taylor said Kettering had become her best friend as she cared for him during the last two years.
She added: ‘I don’t agree with what he did, but I understand what he did, and it should be his choice.’
He suffered bruising on his spinal cord during a skiing trip to Mount Snow in Vermont.
In his blog, he explained: ‘I cannot remember exactly what happened, they say you forget periods of time when experiencing traumatic events.
‘I was going no more than 5mph approaching the feature, the next thing I remember was lying flat, face down in the snow, and I couldn’t move my body.’
His depression soon set in.
He wrote: ‘On a daily basis, I experience constant discomfort, severe depression, loneliness and no hope for the future.’
Showering, he said, took 50 minutes and was so difficult that it happened only twice a month.
He described how many other basic tasks – like going to the store – were almost impossibly difficult.
He spoke of Facebook as a ‘double-edged sword’, admitting: I am reminded of all the joy I am missing out on. It brings out a lot of sadness.’ Pictured: A file photograph of a dock at Codorus State Park
At the beginning of his days, he said, he was ‘fed like a child by my caregiver’.
He added: ‘Most of my days from this point on are spent making numerous phone calls to schedule doctor appointments or just trying to find the right doctor for my needs.’
When the days ended, he explained: ‘I am consumed with the realization that another day of my life in misery has passed just to start the same routine all over again when morning arrives.’
He spoke of Facebook as a ‘double-edged sword’, admitting: ‘I am able to see what is going on in my friends and family’s lives. However once again, I am reminded of all the joy I am missing out on. It brings out a lot of sadness.’
York County Coroner Pam Gay said a Facebook post and texts to family supported the coroner’s ruling of suicide and added that an autopsy will therefore not be performed.
To learn about the warning signs of suicide, head to take5tosavelives.org.
If you need help, call Crisis Intervention at 1-800-673-2496 or 717-851-5320.
You could also call York County Suicide Prevention Coalition on 717-227-0048, or the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).