Germany stunned by Enke's suicide death

[Forkboy]

The suicide death of Robert Enke left Germany stunned Wednesday, sending the soccer-obsessed country into mourning and leaving the national team without its top goalkeeper for next year's World Cup.

Enke's widow appeared at a news conference, broadcast live throughout the country, saying her husband battled depression for years before he stepped onto the tracks and got hit by an express train Tuesday evening not far from his home.

"I tried to be there for him," Teresa Enke said, choking back tears. "When he was acutely depressive, it was a difficult time. We thought we'd manage everything. We thought with love, we could do it. But you can't."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/11/11/sports/s031514S39.DTL#ixzz0WcZ2IlUp

Depression has taken me to the brink a couple of times. I know all too well the effect it has on someone, and their loved ones (my depression was the reason my own marriage ended). Best wishes to his wife, and I pray she doesn't blame herself. :(

[trotsky]

1. Lots of people have a real misconception about depression.

It can strike the rich, famous, and powerful just as readily as the unemployed and homeless.

[LisaM]

2. Oh, wow.

I agree, people don't think that the rich can be affected by it. But clinical depression is a real thing. I lost all respect for George Karl when he refused to acknowledge Kendall Gill's clinical depression.

I'm sorry for Germany. It's hard to suddenly lose someone the whole country had some association with.