When to call the Crisis Line

Yesterday afternoon I drove across East Hillside Road in Crystal Lake from Walkup to Pingree, only because that's my usual route to the office to which I was headed. As I neared the Metra tracks where Phil Pagano caught "the last train", I said to my passenger, "That's where the man from Metra died. Say a little prayer as we go by. If his spirit is still here, tell it that it's okay to leave."

And then, later, I read online the article that appears in this morning's Northwest Herald. Sorry, but I'm not buying the note. I don't think you let a train run over you for "this one mistake". And, if you really "love Metra", you don't commit suicide by train, because you understand the emotional trauma you will inflict on the engineer.

And I wonder why Al Jourdan didn't call the McHenry County Crisis Line. Too embarrassed? Too private? Too proud? Too late. Or did he call? Who called the sheriff's department and how many squad cars responded on the afternoon before Pagano died?

The paper says that Jourdan thought Pagano had calmed down by the time he left Pagano's home at 2:15AM. I suspect he has been asking himself regularly why he left.

If you live in McHenry County, put this phone number for the Crisis Line on the speed-dial in your cell phone: (800) 892-8900. Next time you see the Crisis Line booth, pick up a magnet or two and put one on your refrigerator where you can find it, if you need it in a hurry.

Is Jourdan a crisis-trained counselor? Was a crisis-intervention-trained (CIT) deputy called to Pagano's house on the afternoon all the squad cars were in the neighborhood? Maybe the Crisis Line was called, but I haven't seen that mentioned in any paper.

If no one called the Crisis Line, they blew it. Of course, being a Monday morning quarterback is the easy part.

When someone is talking about suicide - even just "talking" about it, not yet threatening it - you get involved, and you get the professionals involved.

I'd much rather be embarrassed if it turns out to be a "false alarm" than to have to deal with the aftermath.

It's also okay to call the Crisis Line, when you don't know whether you ought to call the Crisis Line. They will provide information and referrals. Your call doesn't have to be a crisis.