Back-to-back suicides at Burlington Twp. High
A freshman died Thursday. A senior memorialized his friend before killing himself.
In the wake of two student suicides in four days, the Burlington Township School District brought counselors into the high school Tuesday to assist students with their grieving and guard against further loss.
School administrators gathered all staff and high school students Tuesday "to talk . . . and come together," according to Liz Scott, the district's spokeswoman.
"Counseling was offered throughout the day in safe zones" around the building, she said. Children in lower grades who sought assistance also received counseling.
Counselors included the Burlington County Crisis Response Team, the Traumatic Loss Coalition for Youth, and the district's crisis response team.
Responses on Twitter to the two deaths have included such messages as "we won't forget you" and a suicide hotline phone number, 1-800-273-8255, along with an admonition: "A simple retweet might save someone's life."
Theresa M. Tobey, executive director of Contact of Burlington County, which operates the county's 24-hour suicide hotline, on Tuesday urged adults to ask young people who seem suddenly withdrawn or depressed if they are feeling suicidal.
"Isolation is one of the first signs we see," according to Tobey, who said youngsters who are feeling suicidal are often relieved when invited to talk about it.
"They may think there's no other way out" of grief or loss, she said. "But airing it out can help."
Adnan "Ado" Halkic, a 15-year-old freshman, was pronounced dead Thursday after emergency crews answering a call for assistance found him unresponsive at his home, according to township police. His death was determined to be a suicide, and he was buried Saturday.
When Burlington Township High School held a memorial service for him Monday at its football field, a 17-year-old senior, Mike Steve, was among the impromptu speakers.
Close friends since grammar school, the two had studied martial arts together, and both played football - one freshman, the other varsity - for Burlington Township High.
Steve "gave a really nice speech," their martial arts teacher, Brian McPherson, recalled Tuesday. "He said, 'We have to keep moving. We have to fight,' " said McPherson.
"Then a few hours later, he decided this life was not for him, and this happened."
That evening, the school district sent out an e-mail that stunned the school community. "It is with deep sadness that we inform you of the passing of another one of our high school students tonight," it read. "Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers."
McPherson, who led a memorial service for the boys Tuesday at his JBM Fitness center in Edgewater Park, said it was important that "we as a community get out ahead of this and tell these kids, you don't have to check out because your girlfriend or boyfriend broke up with you."
"Adults who have been through big losses," he said, "know that things will get better."