Christopher Chida
Christopher Chida, right, brain damaged
after a suicide attempt, is fed through a
special feeding tube by his father, Joe.
Christopher Chida
Christoper Chida, right, with severe, irreversible
brain damage after a suicide attempt,
is tended to by his mother, Tari.
Christopher Chida, 13, Left Permanantly Brain Damaged After Suicide Attempt
by Kevin Caruso
Tari and Joe Chida, Christopher Chida's parents, believed that Christopher was using drugs.
Joe Chida said, "We started picking up warning signs. His grades were dropping. He was losing interest in family things. He stopped going to church."
On March 12, 2004, Christopher asked his father if he could stay at a friend's house for the night. His father said no because he was concerned that Christopher would take drugs while he was there.
Christopher responded with an angry outburst.
And when Christopher's mother arrived home from work and also told Christopher that
he could not go, Christopher had a second angry outburst, ran to his bedroom, and slammed the door.
He then tied a belt around his neck and hanged himself from his bunk bed.
A few minutes later, his parents went to his room and saw him hanging from the top bunk. They immediately called 911.
Christopher was taken to the hospital; he was still alive, but his brain was damaged.
It is very common for people who attempt suicide to end up with permanent brain damage.
The Chida family has been hoping that Christopher will somehow get better, but, unfortunately, it is highly unlikely. The brain damage appears to be permanent.
And Christopher will most probably live out his life with almost no ability to function.
His family is now caring for him.
Suicides and attempted suicides always affect many people. And this attempted suicide has almost destroyed the Shiva family.
Christopher is unable to talk. He cannot feed himself. He cannot walk. His eyes roll uncontrollably. He twitches uncontrollably. And he has difficulty breathing--he wheezes and gasps with each breath.
It is common for people who suffer from permanent brain damage from a suicide attempt to end up in a care facility for the rest of their lives. Attempting suicide is a very serious and dangerous thing that has many consequences, and all of the consequences are negative.
Christopher's family has been devastated. They are doing their best to care for Christopher in their home.
Jacob, Christopher's 8-year-old brother, taped his most important possession, a $2 bill, to a wall in Christopher's room. Jacob has pledged to give the bill to Christopher as soon as he gets better. Jacob has had difficulty sleeping, and when he is able to sleep, he has been experiencing constant nightmares.
Jonathan, another brother, has become intensely angry and confused. He has not been able to accept what happened, and he constantly yells at Christopher, telling him to get out of bed.
Joey, another brother, has become withdrawn, sad, and introspective.
Joe, the father, said, "It's all you can do to hold the family together."
And the family is facing financial ruin because the insurance companies have refused to cover any of the bills.
And Christopher requires constant visits to the hospital and to the doctor's office, so the bills keep mounting.
The Chida family has already lost all of their savings, and Joe is concerned about the financial future of the family.
Although Joe and his family are devastated, Joe wants others to realize how suicide and attempted suicide can hit any family. Joe said, "This could happen to anyone's kid. There are a lot of pressures when you're that age."
And Joe is right. Anyone could attempt suicide or die by suicide.
And a suicide or attempted suicide always devastates family and friends.
Countless individuals have attempted suicide and ended up paralyzed, disfigured, or, like Christopher, permanently brain damaged.
It is never, under any circumstance, okay to attempt suicide or to die by suicide.
The result is always horrible.
The number one cause for suicide is untreated depression.
Christopher was probably suffering from depression, or a similar mental illness.
He also may have been taking drugs, as his parents suspected. And anyone who has a mental illness and who
is taking drugs (or alcohol) is at a high risk for suicide.
It should also be noted that suicide almost never occurs because of one event. Christopher probably had
several problems that he was dealing with, along with an untreated mental illness, and possible drug abuse.
If you or someone you know is suffering from depression, please make appointments with a doctor and a therapist immediately.
Depression is very common, and very treatable.
And if you or someone you know is suicidal, please click below to go to the home
page of this website for immediate help.
Home Page
And remember, whenever you are suicidal, please call 911, 1-800-SUICIDE, or
click below for additional numbers.
Suicide Hotlines
And remember that it is never okay to attempt suicide. Never. Always reach out for help if you are suicidal.
Suicide never ends pain and never solves problems. Suicide always causes pain and always creates problems.
Please take care of yourself, and if you need help, get it now.
Thank you.
Take care,
Kevin Caruso
