Actor Matthew Mindler, a former child star, died by suicide in August at the age of 19. The college student was reported missing and was found dead three days later near campus in Manor Township.
Matthew Mindler worked with Paul Rudd in Our Idiot Brother
In 2011, he appeared in Our Idiot Brother as River with Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Rashida Jones, Emily Mortimer, Zooey Deschanel, Adam Scott, and Kathryn Hahn.
Mindler was last credited for his role in Chad: An American Boy, starring Nasim Pedrad.
Matthew Mindler’s cause and manner of death revealed
This week, toxicology reports revealed that he killed himself using sodium nitrate toxicity, which he ordered on Amazon for $15.
His mother, Monica Mindler, was not aware he was planning to take his life. However, she said his Internet searches revealed that he started exploring this possibility in his first days away from home. He was enrolled at Millersville University in Pennsylvania.
At the time of his death, Millersville President Daniel A. Wubah said in a statement: “It is with a grieving heart that I let you know of the death of 19-year-old Matthew Mindler from Hellertown, Pennsylvania, a first-year student at Millersville University. A search had been underway for Matthew since Thursday after he was reported missing.”
The grieving mother has gone public with this information because she is trying to bring awareness to this issue. While sodium nitrate toxicity is generally used to preserve foods, it can be harmful in certain situations.
Moreover, it can kill people by lowering their blood pressure and deprive the body of oxygen. The mom says that the product her son purchased was enough to kill four people.
Actor Matthew Mindler’s death by suicide sparks conversation about mental health
People on social media sympathize with the mother but are not sure that bringing attention to sodium nitrate toxicity will have the desired effect.
One commenter shared: “When these substances were researched on the internet, the person should be directed to some help site, and then the family should be warned😢.”
A second person added: “Honestly, this info shouldn’t be put out there. It could give other suicidal people ideas!”
While the suicide rate is declining in certain groups like veterans, the coronavirus pandemic has been a real challenge for the mental health state of many others.
Dr. Michelle Sanchez, a licensed professional counselor, told Alabama’s WHNT News 19 that mental health should never be neglected. She explained: “It’s the same thing. If you let depression or anxiety go and don’t treat it, many different things can happen. It can affect you; it can affect people around you. It’s important to treat it, like I said earlier, just as if it were physical.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
