Dear concerned parent,

I agree with you whole-heartedly about suicide not being the answer, unfortunately for Colton, our nephew, he felt it was. If you went to the service you would have heard how we explained about his condition, which was far deeper than depression, it was rapid-cycling bipolar disorder, which escalated into paranoia and then finally violent psychotic breakdowns, which were overtaking his life. At his service we spoke from our hearts that we feel he was brave and that this final unfathomable act was coming from a place of love and sacrifice to save those around him from further harm, that is the context where the word hero was used. We are not glorifying his death. The family shared the specifics, rather that sweep it under the rug, to help others know the extent of his misery, especially his fellow students, to try and find some understanding as to the “why”. We have been trying to inform the kids on the facebook postings, for this is how they communicate, that there was some very deep and wide rooted mental illness with our beloved Colton, to help them try to understand what is still beyond our comprehension. Like a parent of a critically ill child with a life threatening disease, his parents have been fighting this battle to save his life for years. We are heartbroken beyond words that Colton felt he had to give up his life. And if we choose to try to find some peace in this all that he is no longer suffering, it would be kind of you to not judge us for this. Family members were talking with dozens of his fellow students after the service, and sharing how we feel suicide is never an answer or solution to their problems, and how they need to ask for help from their family, educators and friends if they are ever considering that life is not worth living. The family is grieving greatly, and out of respect for Colton, and others who new him, it is asked that you not use this forum to criticize all of us who are mourning. Judge less, and love more.

Thank you, Colton’s aunt Jennie

I think it's wrong the way Colton Finks family is glorifying his Suicide. I have read several comments from his family members on different sites one of them being Face-book on how they are at peace with his death and that they feel he is a Hero for killing himself so that they would not have to suffer the symptoms of his Bipolar Disorder! I wonder if the poor train operator is at peace with the images that are burned into his memory for the rest of his life! What about the Emergency workers that were called out to the tracks that day, are they at peace with what they had to see and do? To think that this poor child thought that this was his only option is just heart breaking! And for the family to tell hundreds of children that this was a heroic deed is just unbelievably wrong. Parents please talk to your children explain that suicide is not ever the answer, because what ever is wrong at the moment is not important enough to take away all the other moments waiting to happen! That no matter how bad things may seem that they do get better and that your there for them always!