TV presenter's family blame eye surgery troubles for her suicide
The grief-stricken family of a TV weather reporter who took her own life has spoken out saying they blame complications with recent eye surgery for her untimely death.
Detroit FOX2 meteorologist Jessica Starr took her own life in December last year shortly after taking time off work to recover from her Lasik surgery.
Ms Starr’s husband Dan Rose says “there is nothing else that they can attribute” to her death other than her recent eye surgery.
“She really knew something was not right within a matter of days,” Mr Rose told Good Morning America.
“She started to complain of incredibly dry eyes. She had almost no night vision. She had starbursts that she was seeing during the day and at night.”
In the days and weeks after the surgery, the 35-year-old recorded a series of video diaries where she filmed herself saying: “I’m really mad at myself for doing this.
“I don’t know why. I was fine in contacts, glasses weren’t that big of a deal, it was fine,” Ms Starr said at the time.
Asking viewers for tips and advice, she reported dimming vision and said she was “trying to stay strong”. She also spoke about celebrating Halloween with her kids.
Mr Rose said that upon reflection, he now sees his wife’s impaired vision was making her increasingly depressed.
“I was going to dinner by myself with the kids. I was taking the kids to the movies by myself, in the sense of she started to withdraw from life,” he explained.
Mr Rose said she showed absolutely no sign of any sort of emotional or mental distress before the surgery.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.
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