Heidi Ferrer, a 50-year-old screenwriter, sober coach and blogger, died by suicide after suffering severe so-called ‘long haul’ COVID-19 symptoms.
Ferrer, who penned episodes of Dawson’s Creek, as well as the 2008 Paris Hilton comedy The Hottie & the Nottie, reportedly took her own life on May 26th, according to a post from her husband Nick Guthe on Ferrer’s mom blog, Girl to Mom.
Guthe wrote that his wife died 13 months after she contracted the virus. He explained, “Over 13 months it took every part of her life away: Her mobility, her enjoyment of food as she had to eat a very restrictive diet, and, in the end, her ability to sleep and even to read books and enjoy them.”
Guthe continued, “The excruciating physical pain and inability to sleep from the pain led Heidi to the decision she would rather leave this world on her own terms before her condition worsened more,” adding, “the mental strain of Long Haul Covid sufferers is a public health crisis that must be addressed quickly.”
If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, or worried about a friend or loved one, help is available. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 [TALK] for free confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Even if it feels like it, you are not alone.
Copyright © 2021, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
