Mike was my cousin, but I didn't really know him that well. He got involved in drugs at a young age. He was sent to a drug rehab and then a half-way house.
Mike's brother is one of my best friends, and his death was a huge blow to the whole family. Mike was a great guy to our whole family, he was just misguided. He got involved in bad things, and before he knew it he was dealing and owned a gun to protect himself.
After all of these years of bad stuff happening to him, he'd finally had enough. He took his own life last November and it killed his mother, figuratively. She is still depressed, especially now that the first year anniversary is this week.
His death was a huge shock and very sudden; but it has had one good effect, it has taught us all a lesson. We're all his younger cousins, siblings, or friends, so we now have the opportunity to learn from his mistake and make sure we don't make the same one.
I saw what happened to my cousin and this gives me the motivation to help friends I see going down the same path.