NASA Engineer Leaps off Tower: Had the Delusion, While He was on A/D's, That He Was Going Blind
Summary:
Paragraph five reads: "Mr Vanover, a father of three and grandfather of one, had been worried that he may be going blind – a concern that appeared unfounded, based on the findings of a post-mortem examination – while also facing the prospect of redundancy in April as Nasa prepares to retire the space shuttle fleet."
Paragraphs 13 & 14 read: "Decedent had a note in his wallet to his wife and children, telling them that he was going blind from HBP (high blood pressure) and did not want to be a burden to them.'
At the time of his death, he had been taking an anti-depressant whose side-effects can include feeling suicidal, and medication to treat insomnia, pathology tests showed.
SSRI Stories note: Antidepressants, especially given to those with a diagnosis of anxiety, can cause delusions of terminal illness or delusions of some grave medical problem. There are quite a few cases on SSRI Stories where this was the case.
A space shuttle engineer leapt 130ft to his death from the top of Endeavour’s launch tower after becoming depressed over medical problems and the looming loss of his job after 28 years.
James Vanover, 53, had continued working on the upper reaches of the tower at Kennedy Space Center's pad 39A - one of Nasa's most safety-sensitive and high security areas - despite one week earlier having voluntarily invoked the Baker Act, Florida’s mental health law, to seek treatment for a psychiatric illness.
An investigation into his March 14 death concluded that he died of multiple blunt force injuries and that the manner of death was suicide, according to a report released yesterday by the Brevard County medical examiner, Dr Sajid Qaiser.
Suicide: Space shuttle engineer James Vanover leapt to his death from the top of Endeavour's launch tower after becoming depressed over medical problems
Mr Vanover, a father of three and grandfather of one, had been worried that he may be going blind – a concern that appeared unfounded, based on the findings of a post-mortem examination – while also facing the prospect of redundancy in April as Nasa prepares to retire the space shuttle fleet.
The lack of an immediate successor to the shuttle will bring around 9,000 job lay-offs at Kennedy Space Center where United Space Alliance, an aerospace contractor, manages the day-to-day processing of the shuttles for Nasa.
Many workers who have devoted decades to maintaining the Nasa fleet fear bleak job prospects and economic hardship.
Mr Vanover, of Titusville, was said by his family in an obituary published after his death, to have 'loved' working on the orbiters and his employer paid tribute to him yesterday as a 'respected, dedicated' member of the shuttle team.
'Investigation revealed that the decedent had been depressed lately and had been drinking heavily,' Dr Qaiser noted.
Warnings: Mr Vanover was working at the top of the tower at Kennedy Space Center, despite one week earlier seeking treatment for a psychiatric illness
'He voluntarily agreed to a compensated lay-off from his job with United Space Alliance about 2-3 weeks ago.
'He apparently changed his mind a few days after that but was not permitted to retain his position.'
'Decedent had a note in his wallet to his wife and children, telling them that he was going blind from HBP (high blood pressure) and did not want to be a burden to them.'
At the time of his death, he had been taking an anti-depressant whose side-effects can include feeling suicidal, and medication to treat insomnia, pathology tests showed.
The revelation raised questions as to how he had continued to work in one of Nasa’s most sensitive and safety-conscious areas.
Experienced: Mr Vanover had worked at Kennedy Space Center since 1982
Allard Beutel, a Nasa spokesman, said yesterday that it was not known whether Mr Vanover had alerted his employers to his mental troubles or medications, 'but from his job performance, there would have been nothing that indicated that he shouldn’t have been working there' and that he was a trusted, veteran worker.
Tracy Yates, a spokeswoman for United Space Alliance, said: 'For medical privacy reasons and out of respect for Mr Vanover’s family, we have no comment on that.'
She added: 'Obviously we are all very saddened by the report and the cause of death.
'We have been working with Mr Vanover’s family and co-workers in the weeks since the incident to try to provide as much support and assistance as possible and our thoughts are with them today.
'He was a respected, dedicated member of the space shuttle team.'
Mr Vanover had reported for work at 6am on March 14, one hour early, and had been due to meet colleagues on one of the lower levels of the launch tower at pad 39A, where Endeavour was being prepared for it final mission.
'He waited up on level 215 until the other employees had completed their morning meeting and jumped from the platform, to the platform approximately 130ft below,' the medical examiner revealed.
'A security camera on top of the structure recorded the decedent deliberately sliding off the platform and falling.'
Plunge: Mr Vanover had taken voluntary redundancy but had changed his mind
Colleagues witnessed his plunge and first responders found some signs of life when they arrived.
But attempts to resuscitate him proved futile and he was certified dead a short while later.
The post-mortem examination revealed no evidence of any eye impairment that would have led to blindness.
He was a 'devoted husband' to his wife Dayna and 'wonderful father' to his daughters Marianne, Leslie and Katie, his family noted in an obituary published shortly after his death. He also had a granddaughter, Lauren.
He had worked as an engineer at Kennedy Space Center since 1982 and won plaudits for his work, including the presentation in 1993 of a prestigious Silver Snoopy Award, by astronaut Eileen Collins.
Silver Snoopy Awards are given to Nasa employees and contractors 'for professionalism, dedication and outstanding support that greatly enhanced flight safety and mission success.'