Longniddry death

[stu in nottingham]

An incredibly sad and harrowing story reported in the East Lothian Courier.

https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/18237375.person-hit-train-near-prestonpans---rail-services-disrupted/

Edited to add correct link - apologies.

The final words and goodbyes of transgendered woman, Rebecca Ann-Archy preparing to take her life. are chronicled online on her blog and Twitter account. Rebecca, sadly being unable to come to terms with her life and her problems.

At this time, her online presence remains visible, I'm not sure for how long that might be the case but initial thoughts are that there is much to be learnt from the things she had to say.

[EH6 Hibby]

An incredibly sad and harrowing story reported in the East Lothian Courier.

https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/16253784.update-man-dies-after-being-hit-by-train-near-longniddry/

The final words and goodbyes of transgendered woman, Rebecca Ann-Archy preparing to take her life. are chronicled online on her blog and Twitter account. Rebecca, sadly being unable to come to terms with her life and her problems.

At this time, her online presence remains visible, I'm not sure for how long that might be the case but initial thoughts are that there is much to be learnt from the things she had to say.



I read part of her blog explaining why she was taking her life and it was heartbreaking. Reading the article you posted has really angered me. Why are they referring to her as a man? It’s like a further kick at her even after she’s gone.

[stu in nottingham]

I read part of her blog explaining why she was taking her life and it was heartbreaking. Reading the article you posted has really angered me. Why are they referring to her as a man? It’s like a further kick at her even after she’s gone.

Have to say, I felt exactly the same way as you.

[Bangkok Hibby]

Wow her final words are a powerful read. She had her internal demons but I'll never understand why some humans feel the need to laugh at or abuse people for their appearance. We truly are a ****ed up species. R.I.P.

[-Jonesy-]

Gonna sound like a **** here and not denying her struggle and failure to find any way to deal with her problems for a long part of her life but publicly posting a planned suicide note, emailing it to several different sources and then walking in front of a train is a horrible way to do it and needlessly attention seeking as well.
Even managed to find the time to take a photo diary of her journey by bike to Longniddry and document it through her twitter feed.

Edit; do you realise the article links to a story from May 2018??

[NORTHERNHIBBY]

I am getting the sad feeling with stories like this, that the basic point that we are all first and foremost human beings, is almost being skipped over.

[Moulin Yarns]

Gonna sound like a **** here and not denying her struggle and failure to find any way to deal with her problems for a long part of her life but publicly posting a planned suicide note, emailing it to several different sources and then walking in front of a train is a horrible way to do it and needlessly attention seeking as well.
Even managed to find the time to take a photo diary of her journey by bike to Longniddry and document it through her twitter feed.

Edit; do you realise the article links to a story from May 2018??

https://www.eastlothiancourier.com/news/18237375.person-hit-train-near-prestonpans---rail-services-disrupted/

[Bangkok Hibby]

Gonna sound like a **** here and not denying her struggle and failure to find any way to deal with her problems for a long part of her life but publicly posting a planned suicide note, emailing it to several different sources and then walking in front of a train is a horrible way to do it and needlessly attention seeking as well.
Even managed to find the time to take a photo diary of her journey by bike to Longniddry and document it through her twitter feed.

Edit; do you realise the article links to a story from May 2018??

Have to agree you do sound like a ****. However we're all different and will judge situations differently. Where I disagree with you is the "needlessly attention seeking" bit. I imagine this was her chance to finally pour everything out and maybe rationalise to herself what she was about to do. Her certain death just doesn't fit with her words or actions as being "attention seeking" surely that's for people who threaten or attempt suicide but don't actually die?
Anyway I'm sure we can agree it's a tragic tale.

[-Jonesy-]

Have to agree you do sound like a ****. However we're all different and will judge situations differently. Where I disagree with you is the "needlessly attention seeking" bit. I imagine this was her chance to finally pour everything out and maybe rationalise to herself what she was about to do. Her certain death just doesn't fit with her words or actions as being "attention seeking" surely that's for people who threaten or attempt suicide but don't actually die?
Anyway I'm sure we can agree it's a tragic tale.

Maybe attention seeking is the wrong phrase, I’ve been reading her blog and twitter for a while now because I have a fairly morbid curiosity about the human psyche.

Having seen the way things were posted by her it almost seems spiteful or vengeful the way she went about it, and maybe in her mind that’s justified.

I’ve known people who took their own lives and it was never in such a open and public manner, and I don’t just mean the method used. It just came after long periods of isolation and silence and was more of a shock at the time than an obvious inevitability that was signposted for weeks.

Again I’m not judging Rebecca, just finding myself wrapped up a bit in a pretty tragic story I had no idea about until this morning.

[hibsbollah]

Gonna sound like a **** here and not denying her struggle and failure to find any way to deal with her problems for a long part of her life but publicly posting a planned suicide note, emailing it to several different sources and then walking in front of a train is a horrible way to do it and needlessly attention seeking as well.
Even managed to find the time to take a photo diary of her journey by bike to Longniddry and document it through her twitter feed.

Edit; do you realise the article links to a story from May 2018??

The problem with starting this thread (and I know Stus background and really value his well meaning and intelligent posts on this subject), is you're going to attract posts like the one above. These kind of judgemental attitudes can really impact on people struggling with mental health issues.

Someone has taken their life because they thought they weren't welcomed or appreciated in it. It's everyone's job to make sure they know that isn't true. And that goes double for anyone reading this thread who feels similar emotions.

[Pretty Boy]

I think suicide is in many ways a 'selfish' act. By it's very nature it has to be yet it is also an act which can be viewed as entirely selfless. I'm wary of how that reads but I hope it's understood as I mean it.

I started to read the blog posts but didn't finish them and I'm not sure I'll go back to them. It's a tragic tale and the anger, pain and confusion is evident in the words.

[NORTHERNHIBBY]

I think suicide is in many ways a 'selfish' act. By it's very nature it has to be yet it is also an act which can be viewed as entirely selfless. I'm wary of how that reads but I hope it's understood as I mean it.

I started to read the blog posts but didn't finish them and I'm not sure I'll go back to them. It's a tragic tale and the anger, pain and confusion is evident in the words.


Very sensitive subject, but I think that the selfish aspect of taking your own life is very much worth a discussion. I would say that selfish can be viewed from the impact that this has on the people left behind, and referencing a post earlier on, perhaps a heightened awareness of how much loved and valued people are, could actually be a way to reduce these incidents. A wake is too late to find out how much people are going to miss you.

[Bangkok Hibby]

Very sensitive subject, but I think that the selfish aspect of taking your own life is very much worth a discussion. I would say that selfish can be viewed from the impact that this has on the people left behind, and referencing a post earlier on, perhaps a heightened awareness of how much loved and valued people are, could actually be a way to reduce these incidents. A wake is too late to find out how much people are going to miss you.

Ive always tried to be non judgemental when reading about or discussing suicide. You just can't possibly understand the mind of someone who is at that point. Whilst its tragic for those left behind who most likely can't fathom why it happened or even blame themselves for not "doing more" there will be cases, I think like the one under discussion here where it was made abundantly clear why it happened. I'm not saying that makes it OK for those left behind but it certainly lessens any blame possibly felt by others.

[stu in nottingham]

Ive always tried to be non judgemental when reading about or discussing suicide. You just can't possibly understand the mind of someone who is at that point. Whilst its tragic for those left behind who most likely can't fathom why it happened or even blame themselves for not "doing more" there will be cases, I think like the one under discussion here where it was made abundantly clear why it happened. I'm not saying that makes it OK for those left behind but it certainly lessens any blame possibly felt by others.

The emboldened always comes to mind to me when any mention of the 'selfish' word crops up. I just want to say that there are many aspects of a sad story like this that are worth discussing and, as is the norm with people on this forum and this thread, being generally treated with respect and open minds. I've often pondered this subject of suicide being a 'selfish' act though and personally sort of come to the conclusion that it is a cyclical conversation that doesn't so much bring any enlightenment or progress to the general discussion.

If we were somehow able to 'decide' via debate whether suicide is a selfish act or not, what can we do with that judgement/information anyway? Blame the person who completed the suicide. If not that how does this judgement help anyone? What is it for? i think there is a lot of accent on blame in various conversations increasingly - and by good people too - possibly unconsciously.

I respect anybody's view if they believe it is a selfish act. I just don't share it or see the point in it.

As has been mentioned (by hibsbollah) earlier and a few here will understand, a few years ago, the suicide of my partner engulfed and threw my life into deep despair and confusion. i mention this only to say that I have never felt at any point - ever - that my late partner's decision to take her life was a selfish one - no matter how much it hurt or how much pain it provided for me and her children. Quite simply, she suffered so much anguish and just couldn't stand the suffering any longer. It became too much for her and I could not blame her or anyone for needing to be released from that great pain. I watched it day in, day out for a long time and felt and observed her suffering.

I am certain and satisfied that in the example of my late partner, there was no intention to hurt anybody else. maybe only those who have felt that kind of desperation can really understand the decision they make. This is for me why it is hard to criticise such as Rebecca's actions in cronicling her life and death. We can't blame someone for feeling that way.

One of the aspects of Rebecca's case that is worth being educated about in my view is her difficulties through gender transition and its myriad effects on an individual's life, relationships, self-esteem and so on. I think that's an area where we still have much to learn.