Quentin Kramer died of major depression. He was 32. He is one of 500 Minnesotans who commit suicide every year. Depression is by far the leading cause of suicide, and suicide is the No. 2 killer of people ages 10 to 34. In his tragic case, the human toll was multiplied by four.
Depression is perhaps the most misunderstood of diseases.
New medications have vastly improved treatment of the disease. But a stigma remains. Some people believe their jobs or images are at stake. As Quentin Kramer's story shows, there may be much more than that to lose. The answers to those questions can't change the story.