In 2012, Josh Marks became the 2nd place winner of the 3rd season of MasterChef. With that level of skill and that level of celebrity, you’d expect his life to launch into success but it instead spiraled into tragedy. 18 months after the finale, Mark’s mother would find him lying dead in a Chicago alley with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
In that span of time Marks would experience panic attacks, a black out while driving, episodes of psychosis, and would be diagnosed with bipolar disorder and paranoid schizophrenia. He’d have been through a 72 hour psychiatric hold, a 2 week inpatient treatment program, a nonfatal self inflicted gun wound, and a couple serious physical altercations with police. His mother would attempt to have him seen at no less than 7 hospitals and medical care facilitates but without insurance would not be able to afford it.
…a sad story. The signs were there. Though help was sought it wouldn’t be enough.
So much comes up for Josh that echos larger concerns with mental health care. Health insurance, affordability, accessibility, race, police interactions, gun laws, mental health awareness & stigma…
I’m left with the question, what could have changed this outcome? Could it have actually been prevented or merely delayed?