The medical examiner has issued a report, saying that she died of verdose from a vodka and over three different lethal doses of drugs -- ocycodone, Xanax, and Ambien. She had been saving these drugs up for months.

Many friends did not know that she attempted suicide five years ago, but -- she did.

Daniele suffered from high anxiety, panic attacks, and severe depression. She was probably bipolar (undiagnosed), and diagnosed as borderline personality (with "a touch of narcissism") and medium-grade Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. She could be extremely cautious, and phobic about of many things. She began showing signs of mental problems around kindergarten. Fearfulness, unhappiness, paranoia, anger.

Her surgeries were for a fistula in a sensitive place that caused her to have constant infections, pain, and exudation. It's very personal, and she would not want this part broadcast.

When surgery for this fistula failed (six weeks prior to her death), and when she lost her two waitress jobs at Pizza Luce (the day she died), we believe she lost the heart to go forward. She had just signed a 13-month apartment lease, and felt trapped. She left no letter, but she was careful to contact many of us in the days before her death with positive, loving, but irritable communication.

Daniele loved to have fun, and she planned her last day as a fun day. She saw friends, she called me (Mike), and she went to a concert. Then she came home and did it. She died sitting up.

On balance, despite her many problems, Daniele was a pretty good person -- very loving and encouraging to her friends, and grateful and appreciative to her parents. She never yelled at us, or committed crimes, or embarrassed us.

We miss her terribly -- but feel, increasingly, that this was a likely exit for her.

One thing we did not like about the medical report was that it listed her death as having no known cause. I.e., they refused to call it suicide.

This made us unhappy for several reasons.

First, a person with a stomach full of three different death-causing drugs is almost inevitably a suicide.

Two, by not classifying her as a suicide, suicide statistics are not as alarming as they should be.

Three, if did this with Daniele, it is probably common practice.

We understand the pressures:

Suicide is sometimes cuase for not awearding insurance benefits.
Suicide has stigma.
Suicide upsets people who are already upset.

So not classifying a death like Daniele's as suicide may seem prudent. But is is a lie about something very important.

Daniele's tattoos, from the autopsy report:

Side of her right leg: a skull with flowers and a snake

Side of her left leg: a minotaur skull, with green tentacles

Lower back, centered: a spider, a flower, and red flames

Upper left black: skull with devil motif

Upper right back: skull with angel motif

Left shoulder and arm: against a maze-like background, a skeleton with bovine skull and hooves, lifting a bottle in salute

	THE FACTS ABOUT DANIELE'S DEATH Back to Daniele's page There has been confusion about what actually happened to Daniele. We have been reluctant to tell the whole story, but here are things we can share. The medical examiner has issued a report, saying that she died of verdose from a vodka and over three different lethal doses of drugs -- ocycodone, Xanax, and Ambien. She had been saving these drugs up for months. Many friends did not know that she attempted suicide five years ago, but -- she did. Daniele suffered from high anxiety, panic attacks, and severe depression. She was probably bipolar (undiagnosed), and diagnosed as borderline personality (with "a touch of narcissism") and medium-grade Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. She could be extremely cautious, and phobic about of many things. She began showing signs of mental problems around kindergarten. Fearfulness, unhappiness, paranoia, anger. Her surgeries were for a fistula in a sensitive place that caused her to have constant infections, pain, and exudation. It's very personal, and she would not want this part broadcast. When surgery for this fistula failed (six weeks prior to her death), and when she lost her two waitress jobs at Pizza Luce (the day she died), we believe she lost the heart to go forward. She had just signed a 13-month apartment lease, and felt trapped. She left no letter, but she was careful to contact many of us in the days before her death with positive, loving, but irritable communication. Daniele loved to have fun, and she planned her last day as a fun day. She saw friends, she called me (Mike), and she went to a concert. Then she came home and did it. She died sitting up. On balance, despite her many problems, Daniele was a pretty good person -- very loving and encouraging to her friends, and grateful and appreciative to her parents. She never yelled at us, or committed crimes, or embarrassed us. We miss her terribly -- but feel, increasingly, that this was a likely exit for her. One thing we did not like about the medical report was that it listed her death as having no known cause. I.e., they refused to call it suicide. This made us unhappy for several reasons. First, a person with a stomach full of three different death-causing drugs is almost inevitably a suicide. Two, by not classifying her as a suicide, suicide statistics are not as alarming as they should be. Three, if did this with Daniele, it is probably common practice. We understand the pressures: Suicide is sometimes cuase for not awearding insurance benefits. Suicide has stigma. Suicide upsets people who are already upset. So not classifying a death like Daniele's as suicide may seem prudent. But is is a lie about something very important. Daniele's tattoos, from the autopsy report: Side of her right leg: a skull with flowers and a snake Side of her left leg: a minotaur skull, with green tentacles Lower back, centered: a spider, a flower, and red flames Upper left black: skull with devil motif Upper right back: skull with angel motif Left shoulder and arm: against a maze-like background, a skeleton with bovine skull and hooves, lifting a bottle in salute

THE FACTS ABOUT DANIELE'S DEATH