It was a suicide. :(
https://twitter.com/#!/maradydd/status/87586809818775552
Len was brilliant, the inventor of mixmaster, cocreator of CodeCon, and a wonderful human being. The world just lost a great mind and a great man.
Len Sassaman has passed away
11–20 of 47 posts
Re: Len Sassaman has passed away
#12His wife's Twitter account (@maradydd) appears to corroborate this. A tragic loss, especially considering his age (I don't know, but I'd estimate ~35). At that age, it would almost have to be an accident or suicide, and I'm fervently hoping that it was an accident.
As par Wiki Info, he was 31. Really sad to hear this loss
Re: Len Sassaman has passed away
#13I'm his wife. Sadly, the reports are true; I've been visiting family in the States and I got the call from the Leuven police department a couple of hours ago. He was the most brilliant man I ever met, and I still can't believe this is happening.
feel sorry:(
Re: Len Sassaman has passed away
#14His wife's Twitter account (@maradydd) appears to corroborate this. A tragic loss, especially considering his age (I don't know, but I'd estimate ~35). At that age, it would almost have to be an accident or suicide, and I'm fervently hoping that it was an accident.
Unfortunately no; it was unambiguously suicide.
Depression is a horrible, horrible thing, both for those who experience it and the people who love them. Len was a brilliant, sensitive, loving man with the rotten luck to be too tormented by his own brain chemistry to realise how much he was valued by so many people, no matter how often we told him.
He was 31.
Re: Len Sassaman has passed away
#15His wife's Twitter account (@maradydd) appears to corroborate this. A tragic loss, especially considering his age (I don't know, but I'd estimate ~35). At that age, it would almost have to be an accident or suicide, and I'm fervently hoping that it was an accident.
Unfortunately no; it was unambiguously suicide. Depression is a horrible, horrible thing, both for those who experience it and the people who love them. Len was a brilliant, sensitive, loving man with the rotten luck to be too tormented by his own brain chemistry to realise how much he was valued by so many people, no matter how often we told him. He was 31.
I am so sorry. My ex was prone to depression. I can't imagine what I would have done had he taken his own life.
I'm dreadfully bad at the whole condolences thing. I hope you get the support you need to get you through this.
And thank you for taking the time to respond here on HN.
Re: Len Sassaman has passed away
#16@maradydd - Deepest condolences.
It is extremely sad to lose a brilliant young guy to depression. Oh the vagaries of life.
Re: Len Sassaman has passed away
#17I met Len at PET in Toronto. Despite the fact that I was unable to add anything but stupid questions to the conversations Len let me tag along with him for a while. He would take the time to explain things to me that were patently obvious to everyone else taking part in the discussions. I was clearly out of my league but for some reason Len let me listen and occasionally take part in conversations that I only dreamed about.
My thoughts go out to his friends and family. It is a testament to Len's character that the loss of a person who I spent no more than eight hours could have such a profound impact on me.
Re: Len Sassaman has passed away
#18I'm his wife. Sadly, the reports are true; I've been visiting family in the States and I got the call from the Leuven police department a couple of hours ago. He was the most brilliant man I ever met, and I still can't believe this is happening.
[dead]
Re: Len Sassaman has passed away
#19I'm his wife. Sadly, the reports are true; I've been visiting family in the States and I got the call from the Leuven police department a couple of hours ago. He was the most brilliant man I ever met, and I still can't believe this is happening.
A brilliant mind has been lost today. However, his brilliant ideals shall live on. My sincerest condolences.
Re: Len Sassaman has passed away
#20I'm his wife. Sadly, the reports are true; I've been visiting family in the States and I got the call from the Leuven police department a couple of hours ago. He was the most brilliant man I ever met, and I still can't believe this is happening.
This is really sad news; my honest condolences!