UPDATE ON MARIE OSMOND'S ADOPTED SON'S SUICIDE

Because adoption is a known risk for suicide, the suicide death of celebrity Marie Osmond was first reported on this blog here, and updated here reporting about Marie performing even before he was laid to rest, and again here about his natural mother being at his funeral.

Now, yet more about this troubled teenaged talented musician and high school senior who had been enrolled in the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles. One of Michael's close friends said he "was happy" and "loved."

In 2008 Marie left her husband Brian Blosil and the home they had raised their eight children in.


Michael Bryan - NOT Blosil as all earlier reports listed him -  died from "multiple blunt trauma" after her jumped from the eighth-floor balcony of his Los Angeles apartment building on Feb. 26, leaving a suicide note that "outlined his unhappiness with his life."

There were no drugs in his system according to coroner's reports. Michael had been in rehab for substance abuse in 2007.  

The 18-year-old suffered from depression and had attempted suicide three times by trying to hang himself according to one of his best friends, Ruthann Clawson.  Despite this, a family friend told People: "Marie knew Michael was troubled, but I don't think she ever thought he would take his life."

In the months leading up to his death, he legally changed his last name from Blosil to Bryan due to an estranged relationship with his adoptive father. [NY Daily News] People reported that he and his adopted father "had not spoken for months." His death certificate will recognize his name as he chose it: Michael Bryan.

Osmond family members and sources would not discuss in detail the problems between Michael and his father, and Blosil declined to comment to PEOPLE on his son's death.

May his tortued soul rest in peace. He is memoriaized at TwiceLost.org...where you can add your loved ones or friends, separaretd by adoption and passed...

Michael Blosil's Birth Mother at His Funeral

Marie Osmond said today at Michael's funeral:

"I'm proud of my son and I honor his birthmother 

who's here today, 

who gave me the greatest gift. 

Thank you for those beautiful 18 years."

UPDATE 3/10/10: A discussion has ensued on Facebook as a result of my posting this news tidbit and the issue of "the gift" and whether Marie deserves any kudos for just doing what she SHOULD have done. 

This is my reply:

"Should she get a pat on the back for doing what is decent and civil behavior under "normal" circumstances? Nothing is normal about adoption! I have known birth moms whose child had died before they ever met and were denied so much as a photograph of their child when they contacted the a-family! My daughter's adoptive family has been less than kind or considerate to me - FAR LESS! They have never given me one single photo either, though I met my daughter and have some photos.

"So, yes, whatever crumbs she gives are better than none and she she not only had her there, but publicly recognized her as being there. And Marie is not just an ap -- she LDS!!  This is HUGE!
 

"It serves as a model for other adoptive parents. Birthparents don't bite; we're not a threat. We don't have horns on our heads or all wear fish net stockings with a cigarette hanging from our drug-addicted lips. We are human beings.  This is a good step for mankind!

"It is far better to be invited to and share our children's wedding, but...it is a step to show this kind of solidarity of two mothers of the same child."

Seems, however, I was on an unusual optimistic, hopeful cloud there for a small time. Very soon my comment above was replied to by Marsha Rains Roberts who said that:

"[A]s an adoptive parent who is a part of many aparent circles, I don't know how educating really this is. I can just see most of the clueless ones going "oh well isn't Marie so wonderful for inviting that birth lady to the funeral? I hope they had security watching her so she didn't steal anything while she was there. I couldn't do it, but that's ... See Morenice she let that woman come, at least she could see what wonderful people her son was given to so she'll know what a good choice she made. I hope the woman doesn't start trying to get money out of Marie now. Tsk tsk, I bet the Osmands didn't think about that. It's probably a scam. She wasn't his mom anyways. She didn't want him, she's lucky Marie did. Imagine the nerve of her even trying to show up there. Marie is a much better woman than I am!"

Another Adoptee Suicide

Marie Osmond's son, 18-year-old son Michel jumped to his death Friday night from his downtown Los Angeles apartment, media reports said.

Michael Blosil left a note saying he intended to commit suicide because of his life-long battle with depression that left him feeling as if he had no friends and could never fit in.

During an appearance on Larry King in November of 2007, Marie Osmond confessed that her then16-year-old son Michael had entered rehab. Michael suffered from drug addiction and was in and out of rehab while his adoptive mother mrie never missed a beat on her TV appearances and wigth loss commercial.

Marie Osmond has been married and divorced twice and has eight children in total from the two marriages. She married her first husband Stephen Craig, a Brigham Young University basketball player, in 1982. They were married in an LDS temple wedding ceremony. They had one child, Stephen James Craig who was born on April 20, 1983 and was later adopted by Osmond's second husband Brian Blosil. Osmond and Craig divorced in the mid 1980s.

On October 28, 1986 Osmond married Brian Blosil, also in an LDS temple. While married to Blosil, Osmond had two more children, Rachael Lauren (b. 1989) and Matthew Richard (b. 1999). They also adopted five children: Jessica Marie (b. 1987), Michael Brian (b. 1991), Brandon Warren (b. 1997), Brianna Patricia (b. 1998), and Abigail Michelle (b. 2002).

In 1999, Osmond revealed that she had suffered from severe postpartum depression [3]. She co-authored a book called Behind the Smile with Marcia Wilkie and Dr. Judith Moore which chronicles her experiences with postpartum depression.

Ironically, in August 2006, it was suggested by several U.S. tabloids that she had attempted suicide. These reports were denied by her publicity team, which claimed she had suffered an adverse reaction to a medication she was taking.

I wonder if Michael's first mom knows?  Wonder if Marie would hve the decency to let her know and commiserate together?

I am a big proponent of going public with medical and emotional problems to help others, However, I have often wondered how children whose mothers go public about their PPD - like Mare Osmond and Brooke Shields have - feel about it.

More importantly, notice how all the reports of this child's very violent suicide barely mention adoption, as if adoptees are not more prone to suicide!

However, there's a study claiming that children with same-sex parents prone to suicide.



May Michael be in peace as last...

UPDATE:  Thanks to Murray Legro (and Facebook) for this source:

"Brother Alex McDonnell, Jesuit priest and youth worker with the homeless in St Kilda, said in an article published in the Melbourne Age on 30 June 1993 that out of 147 suicides involving drugs from 1983 to 1993, 142 came from adoption backgrounds. In law, adoption occurs in the best interests of the child when a mother is unable to care for her baby and gives informed consent for an adoption to proceed. I do not believe the best interests of the babies or mothers were served by adoption." STOLEN WHITE BABIES http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LA19971112038

Murray also sent this link regarding the connection between adoption and suicide.