[Listen] Late HSU student, theater standout, awarded posthumous degree with honors; Last week’s top stories
In the latest episode of Humboldt Last Week (11:43): It’s not easy talking about Erin Henry but it’s important — she was the HSU student just about to graduate with a theater degree who police determined ended her own life.
According to a Lumberjack article that was posted last week, the university awarded her with a posthumous degree with honors. Henry’s advisor is quoted as saying she’s never met anyone more kind, thoughtful, and considerate. The type of positive, talented person who doesn’t come along every day. And she doesn’t think think anyone will ever know what happened.
Henry was reportedly adopted when she was two months old and grew up in Wyoming before moving here. She volunteered caring for seniors, she dreamed of working to end human trafficking, and while at HSU she had roles in “Young Frankenstein” and “Julius Caesar.”
Back in December her body was found south of Trinidad after it seemed like the entire county was looking for her for over a week.
Previously Henry’s family partially wrote this in a letter to the community shared by the Times Standard and other media outlets: “We would also like to encourage others suffering from depression, or related ailments, to seek help. Please help to eliminate any stigma associated with needing medication or treatment in order to function as a happy, healthy human being.”
The story begins at 11:43.
Also covered
An alleged serial killer awaiting an unrelated trial is possibly linked to one of Humboldt’s missing, the “missing woman” starring on a show with millions of viewers, Humboldt is enticing if you know how to do it right, a Supervisor’s private flight to Sacramento is questioned, crime updates, and other top stories from last week.
Humboldt Last Week is a way to hear highlights from Humboldt’s last week a news. It’s available on iTunes, SoundCloud, top podcast platforms, and at kymkemp.com
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
Time and time again you see the best humans commit suicide. A huge part of the problem is how disrespectful and self absorbed the masses are. The common person, even the common good person is very self serving, like can’t even keep their shopping cart out of the walk way kind of self serving and it really starts to weigh on the kind hearted people until they just can’t stand to be in such a cold world anymore. In Humboldt this self serving behavior is so rampant, your often treated like shit by waitresses which is mind blowing and you won’t see that in most counties, that’s why Humboldt time and time again has the highest suicide rates, very very very few decent, selfless respectful people there.
That’s anywhere. Life is what you make it. I feel opposite of what you said. I never met so many kind hearted folks in my life, in between the douche bags of everyday life, thus why I never left this place. Maybe try a different restaurant and start a yelp account. To the family, I’m so sorry for your loss, she seems like a gem.
Depression is a medical condition, not a social one. It does not hinge on how casual interactions treat you. Demanding that others behave “selflessly” all the time is a sure path to despair however because everyone has their own lives that take a lot of effort to keep up. Few can muster the energy to be totally aware of others much of the time. You can’t control them. The only control is the control you have over yourself. And that includes seeking treatment if you find yourself unable to cope. Sometimes depression in others is unclear. But a professional can help sort this out and can save a life.
I have had many instances of kindness offered me by complete strangers. I have tried to return them to people I don’t know. I have seen kindness displayed by others to complete strangers. It don’t think that here is basically any worse than anywhere else except for our huge drug problems. Addiction does seem to make people focus soley on their own wants. Their addictions leave little room of even noticing others.
Really? Shopping carts and waitresses are harshing your mellow and causing mass suicides? What do you do when you have a REAL problem?
Which supervisor took the flight? Why didn’t you name him or her
According to LoCO, Ryan Sundberg. I often don’t mention names in my coverage. Here’s that article: https://lostcoastoutpost.com/2018/jan/31/controversial-project-headed-board-mercer-fraser-p/
One of the best local pcs, I’ve ever read. Your a true journalist! Keep up the good work!
🙂 A lot of the podcast is working to select, compile, and share the good work of Humboldt’s journalists.
You & whoever pieced that together, BRAVO!
Thank you!!
Who does this action help? All the people who let her down?
Who let her down?
It is often the kindest and most sensitive among us who succumb to depression, alcoholism, drug use or even suicide. Erin sounds like she was kind and giving and we lost out when we lost her. Maybe just reading this article will remind some of us to step outside our busy routine and give a hand to somebody having troubles. Sometimes just a friendly exchange of words can change somebody’s direction. I drive by that spot near Trinidad and think of her almost daily.
Nicely said.
HSU is so politically correct it awards a degree with honors to someone who kills themselves. Killing yourself is the most selfish act of all.
Many that choose suicide aren’t of sound mind. Despite what some of these decisions look like on the surface, I highly doubt many are made solely to ignore the wants of others.
There is one common thread to suicides- the belief that the pain, physical or psychological, will never stop. The common phrase “ending it all” is true but it’s not ending the environment or problems- it’s ending the prospect of pain without end.
That of course is rarely true but the person in that position can see no way out. The inability to see that mostly physiological at that point. Everywhere they turn, there is no help. It is like drowning. A person on the outside thinks it easy. Just swim or float. But the person drowning can’t use that idea at that point. They simply can’t believe in such a thing. They fight but more they struggle, the deeper they sink.
The only thing that can be done is to delay the final drowning until they can find that there really are alternatives that they didn’t see at the moment. Then they hopefully believe they can learn to swim and try for that goal with belief it can be found eventually.
TY!
Don’t judge, Johnny Reb. By definition, if suicide seems like the answer then the person is not thinking straight. And change your stupid name while you’re at it.
Sincere condolences to her family what a very tragic loss to her family and community she will definitely be reincarnated into something very magnificent. Her spirit and soul will always be apart of the north coast her soul and spirt will remain strong with a randevue in heaven with Jim Bernard.