The death of an Ohio couple has left Facebook in shambles once again after it was reported the pair committed suicide just days apart of each other.
18-year-old Mercedes Shaday Smith, a Freshman communication major and member of the track and field team, was found unresponsive in her Lindsey Wilson College dorm room in Kentucky after an alleged suicide this past Thursday, April 20th. Details surrounding Smith’s death are scarce but the school has since released a statement.
“We were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mercedes,” said Lindsey Wilson President William T. Luckey Jr. “Our thoughts and prayers are with her family, friends and teammates and the entire LWC community during this incredibly difficult time.”
“Mercedes was a good-spirited person who showed promise in her future,” said LWC track and field head coach Jamaine Gordon. “She was a fun and loving person and everyone enjoyed being around her. She will be truly missed.”
The school has also provided counseling for students affected by the teen’s death but her sudden passing was still too much to bare for Mercedes’ 17-year-old boyfriend Markeice Brown.
He took to Facebook moments after learning about Mercedes’ death, where he emotionally speaks about just speaking to his girlfriend just the night before.
“Today I lost my wife I should say I lost my life, can’t put in words how i feel, we just talked last night why you ain’t tell me? Even tho we knew we ain’t have nobody we knew we had eachother, you was really a reflection of me you knew how I felt knew when I was feeling and you though it was crazy how I knew something was wrong even when you would fake a smile , it feel like my life just ended it we just talked Tho why you ain’t say nothing man why???? Why bra whyyyyy ???? You was so special to me you meant so much to me you showed me a lot but most importantly you loved me for me not what I brought to the the table first day we met we talked for almost 6 hours straight in the car as if we known Eachother forever I knew yo Likes dislikes goals everything about you I knew I’m just lost more lost than ever Y’all saying this’ll get better man stfu I ain’t Tryna here that y’all don’t know this feeling a mf you talk to shared countless memories with is gone forever a mf you talked to all day everyday about any and everything a mf you didn’t go a day without saying you loved , man we use to get so sad Cus we couldn’t see Eachother you remember puddin? I seen you two weeks ago it’s just like I brought so much joy to yo day you couldn’t stop crying when you hadda to leave you kept Sayin “this ain’t fair” man no this ain’t fair….. I never cried this hard and long in my life you had my whole heart not a piece of it we was soul mates you was my soul my heart the reason i woke up every morning first person I talk to Ina morning and the last a night ……so how tf y’all expect me to be “ALRIGHT” ?????!!!!!???!!!!”
Unfortunately, Markiece’s public grieving wasn’t enough to stop people from accusing him of being the reason why she committed suicide. Overcome by the death of the love of his life and the constant feeling of hate, Brown decided to also take his own life just two days later.
In an apparent suicide note posted to Facebook, the 17-year-old explained that the real reason why Mercedes took her life was allegedly because she was pregnant and didn’t have the necessary support from her family. He also added that her family wouldn’t allow him at the funeral so he wrote he’d be visiting her himself before apologizing to his mother and other close friends and family for the deadly actions he was going to take.
“This is to everybody that knew me that shared love for me this is to the ones who deeply cared for me yea some might say I took the easy way out but who’s to say I wanted to live this life in the first place Y’all say I’m selfish but other than my sisters and a few of my brother who checked on me ? Who asked was I straight? Y’all just asked for shit but when I asked in return it was I ain’t got it or you know you got it. But I let it slide my loyalty was different. Mercedes loved Markeice for Markeice not the cars the money nothing. Everybody told mercedes the same thing like no or some bs that’s why I did everything I did for her so she wouldn’t have to ask any one but she needed love from her friends family not just me I can’t do it all but I tried lord knows I mean all y’all know if she wanted anything materialistic just somebody there anything I had her. I’ve been through the most messed up situations imaginable I just lost my girlfriend and my kid she thought everyone was going to bash her like her Friends did that baby brought us so much joy she told me she was pregnant on my birthday I was happy but I also was lost for words mercedes asked countless ppl for help that’s why i tried to be the best boyfriend ever I messed up once and took someone on a date but that’s all i did I apologized about and I did whatever I had to do to make it up mercedes had my passwords fingerprint on my phone Allat I was very open with her , but we always told Eachother how we hated life and everything in it but I always talked her out of it well we would always say we was going out together so that’s where I’m headed Life ain’t about the toughest soldiers god has the story written already stick to the script Y’all know how I felt about that girl read our messages that was my Bestfriend my baby and that was no doubts or Maybes it’s plenty fish in the ocean but you always kept my mind open I love my baby dearly so we Finna see Eachother again I love all the ppl that know i fwy but I still Fw everybody y’all know
Ain’t no Rip It’s “Stay saucin in paradise” or “fly high fly guy” or long live no rip Cus I Ain’t at peace I’m just finally happy free My Brothas I love my brothas Slime Nem yall know y’all already know what it is fa sis Nem hold that shit down don’t let it hold you up they won’t let me come to the funeral so Ima go see her myself #SLAAAATTTTTT
#MamaImSorry
#LarryImSorry
#NiyahImSorry
#LinnStImSorry
#HollaAtCha
#DontWontToButIHadToo
#RealEyesRecognizeRealLies”
Then in an 8-minute Facebook Live video entitled, “My final words to y’all,” Markeice is seen being visibly emotional over all the pressure he was receiving and said his last goodbyes to his loved ones:
While the circumstances surrounding Markeice’s death are also still unconfirmed, many friends and family, as well as people from all over the world, have posted their condolences on their page.
The story of Markeice Brown and Mercedes Smith has definitely brought up the conversation about mental health in the Black community. Statistics show That suicide is the 16th leading cause of death for blacks of all ages and the third leading cause of death for black males between the ages of 15 and 24.
JJust know you are never alone, call the National Suicide Hotline if you or someone you know may be in need 1-800-273-8255.
Let’s chat below.
TSR STAFF: Debra Oh! @The_Ebony_Issue on IG
