Estate agent 'driven to suicide' by poor market

[Punchy]

Poor guy. I feel sorry for his family. I feel bad that this guy felt that the only answer was suicide.

Estate agent 'driven to suicide' by poor market
By James Tapsfield
04 February 2005


An estate agent is thought to have committed suicide after becoming worried about slumping property prices.

Richard Fulks, 36, who ran Herne Bay Estate Agents in Kent, had been increasingly concerned the market was dropping. He was found dead in his car after sending his wife a text message: "Goodnight and goodbye."

Mr Fulks's wife, Debbie, said: "He was a private and proud man. Business had slowed. The problems weren't that bad, but I think he did feel he may have let us down."

He sent his farewell message at 12.45am on 26 January, but she did not receive it until 5.30am that day. Police found Mr Fulks's body in nearby woods later that day. He is thought to have gassed himself with exhaust fumes.

Mr Fulks, who lived in Herne Bay with his wife and three sons, had run the agency since 2000. Mrs Fulks described him as "a wonderful family man."

A spokesman for Kent police said yesterday: "We are not looking for anyone else in connection with the death."

An inquest is due to be held.


http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/story.jsp?story=607581

 

[Jamie]

Estate agent 'driven to suicide' by poor market
By James Tapsfield
04 February 2005

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/this_britain/story.jsp?story=607581

Whoever wrote that headline deserves to be shot. Not only does it show an appalling lack of knowledge about suicide and the factors that contribute to it, it seems to have been written solely for shock value, in an attempt to sell as many papers as possible and further justify stories about a property slump in the UK.

I think tabloid journalism has sunk to a new low. The guy who wrote that article should be ashamed of himself.

Jamie.

 

[kissfan]

Whoever wrote that headline deserves to be shot. Not only does it show an appalling lack of knowledge about suicide and the factors that contribute to it, it seems to have been written solely for shock value, in an attempt to sell as many papers as possible and further justify stories about a property slump in the UK.

I think tabloid journalism has sunk to a new low. The guy who wrote that article should be ashamed of himself.

Jamie.

I agree with Jamie re bad journalism, but it's nothing new. Jamie, you nailed it when you said about articles being written for shock value. Unfortunately, bad news sells.

Regards
Marty

 

[Ausprop]

also shows a lack of understanding regarding real estate. Agents find it harder to get listings in a hot market, so I doubt the 'cause and effect' is quite as they have assumed.

 

[AdamN]

More than anything I think it again highlights how suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Obviously I am not privvy to all the circumstances of this particular situation, but surely as an REA he would have known that the market has its ups and downs ?

Ad(ios).

 

[Lplate]

More than anything I think it again highlights how suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Obviously I am not privvy to all the circumstances of this particular situation, but surely as an REA he would have known that the market has its ups and downs ?

Ad(ios).

AdamN
There is a difference between what the victim may have 'known' and what he was thinking and feeling.

Probably untreated depression - needed a non-judgemental ear, help & medical referral.

Interestingly, suicide publicised in the media is followed by increases in suicides. The more 'publicised' the story or the more known the person, the higher the following peak/s in reported suicide numbers. Editors have probably have been made aware of this by authorities on previous occasions (and by the media's own research). So much for ethics.

Lplate

 

[AdamN]

AdamN
There is a difference between what the victim may have 'known' and what he was thinking and feeling.

Probably untreated depression - needed a non-judgemental ear, help & medical referral.

Interestingly, suicide publicised in the media is followed by increases in suicides.

Yep, all fair points and true. Having spent a bit of time in Sweden (only 3 hours of daylight in the winter) and Japan (to save face and uphold pride), suicide were unfortunately all too common occurences in those countries
But I do believe that alot of them could be avoided if the right support was available...

 

[geoffw]

I have seen it happen. A person who I had known well in the US (I lived with him and his family for four months) committed suicide after qualifying for dentistry and not being able to find a job. He left behind a devastated wife and beautiful little girl; his parents- especially his father- never stopped blaming themselves.