Mary Kay Bergman - The Record Set Straight
Voiceroy
his very close friend "Jay" Higley, I have been asked to post an update
to correct the misinformation and speculation surrounding her death.
The story which Yahoo! News/Variety carried stating that there was no
suicide note found is, in fact, incorrect.
This is what "Jay" just posted to Mary Kay's guestbook and he has
granted me permission to reprint this letter.
===========================
Mary Kay Bergman was my close personal friend for many years, and I was
one of those who were summoned on last Thursday night to help deal with
the trauma that her death brought upon her husband and other friends.
I can tell you from the POV of someone who knew her that she was a dear,
genuine and sweet personality. She was generous and knew how to love
people and was always gracious to her fans. She was not rich and
famous, she was a working professional, making about as good a living as
moderately successful attorney. Much of what she made went back into
production costs of the independent feature she and Dino were producing
and directing, as well as the real costs of doing business in her
profession. She did not live in a mansion. She did not have a driver.
She did not have a pool. She had a cat, she had orange trees, she had
a husband and friends who loved her. She did not leave a pile of debts
or other destructive, self-indulgent details behind to plague us.
The worst thing her death has done is leave behind broken hearts of
family and friends, and a void where once was someone very special.
It's plain by the note that she left behind her that she was no longer
in control of her own actions, as we normally define it. If one were to
put her on trial for her own murder, she would definitely get off on a
plea of temporary insanity. And yet, because she took her own life, I
see those here and elsewhere who see fit to judge the victim as if she
were the criminal. As surely as if she had died of cancer or any other
deadly disease, Mary Kay died a victim of mental illness -- internal
demons who were spawned very early in her life, and whom she thought she
had under control, though that was, of course, not true in the end.
There was no sign of depression, none of the normal symptoms of
impending suicide. A short time before on that evening I had had a
pretty normal telephone conversation with her, during which there was
nothing to indicate what would happen within a couple of hours. It was
the cruel nature of her illness that it made her fear to make it known.
To avoid being "found out", she hid its severity expertly from everyone
who knew her, including her husband. This has saddened my life and made
me more sensitive to the real deadly danger of undetected and untreated
mental problems.
Regardless, the vast majority of your posts have been a source of deep
comfort to my friends, and we thank you for them. This was something I
just felt the need to post in order to set the record straight.
J. Howard Higley
==========================
Additionally, Dino has requested I relay the message that "it was
decided to alter the opening paragraph of Mary Kay's Obituary, please
use this version.
"Actress, and Los Angeles native, Mary Kay Bergman took her own life
Thursday November 11th after losing her struggle with a progressive
mental illness, which tragically she kept secret from her husband,
friends and family. She was 38."
Dino has graciously relayed personal commentary on this to me, his open
letters he released to the press, along with the details on the
independent film he and Mary Kay had just completed prior to her death.
I have received permission to pass this infomation along in the form of
an article which will be posted the first part of next week at
http://www.animationartist.com/ for a tribute page they are developing
in Mary Kay's honor.
In the meantime, a charity has been established in Mary Kay's name, for
which Dino has offered comment in his "open letter":
"...I make this plea: If you are suffering, if you live with pain, fear,
depression or despair, you must seek help. The first step is to speak
out, tell someone of your pain. I believe that if my wife had told me
of the dark place she was in, I could have gotten her the help she
needed and thus she would be alive today. If this plea can reach just
one person, and help them to see the light in the darkness, then I will
know that Mary Kay's death was not a waste, but a sacrifice so that
another might live.
If you wish to honor Mary Kay's memory in a way that will make a
difference, please make a donation to:
THE MARY KAY BERGMAN MEMORIAL FUND
c/o The Suicide Prevention Center
4760 Sepulveda Blvd.
Culver City, CA 90230
make checks payable to:
Suicide Prevention Center - In memory of Mary Kay Bergman
Greater Los Angeles Suicide Prevention Center Crisis Line: 310-391-1253
---------------------
Craig "Voiceroy" Crumpton
Principal Editor for The V.A.U.L.T. --
"The Voice Actors Ultimate Links Treasury"
@ Netscape's Open Directory Project:
http://dmoz.org/Arts/Animation/Voice_Actors/
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