Posted on 01/22/2014 2:17:03 PM PST by nickcarraway
Madison Holleran, 19, was stressed about her 3.5 GPA in the weeks before she jumped from a parking garage in Philadelphia on Friday, the friend said. The freshman’s tragic death stunned friends and family in her hometown of Allendale, N.J.
A beautiful and brainy University of Pennsylvania track star jumped to her death from a parking garage Friday after stressing out over grades, a family friend revealed Monday.
Madison Holleran — a freshman at the Ivy League school who hails from Bergen County, N.J.— made dinner plans and sent messages to friends without a hint she was feeling suicidal, said family friend Bob Weckworth.
“People talked to her within hours of her act of suicide and there were no red flags, warning signs, nothing,” he told the Daily News from the family’s Allendale home.
“This kid didn’t have a boyfriend. There were no drug issues. There were no mental health issues in her background. It was just the last two, three weeks where they saw a change in her,” said Weckworth, a friend of Madison’s father, James Holleran. “Something snapped.”
Cops said Madison, 19, jumped from a Philadelphia parking garage at 7 p.m. Friday. It was not clear Monday if she left a suicide note.
The death of the teen — who won numerous athletic awards as a student at Northern Highlands Regional High School in New Jersey — left her friends and family stunned.
She left a flood of photos on her social media accounts showing her smiling with friends. One posted on Instagram just an hour before her death shows a beautiful image of Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square at sunset.
“She got a 3.5 her first semester, and I think just the high expectations that she put on herself was that that’s just not acceptable,” Weckworth said.
When she came home over Christmas break, she was a changed person, he said.
“She was not happy at Penn, but the parents had told her then, ‘Don’t go back. We’ll transfer. We’ll look at other schools. There’s no reason to go back, it’s OK,’ ” he said.
It was not immediately clear what may have prompted the teen — a star athlete in her hometown of Allendale, N.J. — to jump to her death. FACEBOOK
It was not immediately clear what may have prompted the teen — a star athlete in her hometown of Allendale, N.J. — to jump to her death.
University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann said Madison’s death left the campus “deeply saddened.”
“She was bright and well-liked with an incredible future ahead of her,” Gutmann said in a statement.
Steve Dolan, Penn’s director of track and field-cross country, said Madison’s teammates were crushed by the news.
“We will always carry her in our hearts,” Dolan said.
The school announced that formal recruitment for sororities would be postponed out of respect for Holleran, who was participating in the events.
Holleran — who was named by the Star-Ledger to the all-state girls soccer and track teams last year — was majoring in philosophy, politics and economics, NJ.com reported.
“As our school community mourns the loss of Madison, we extend our love and prayers to the Holleran family as they grieve, and we respect their privacy during this extremely difficult time,” Joseph Occhino, principal of Northern Highlands High School, said in a statement.
They found a note and gifts for her family on the roof of the parking garage.
I sense something odd too. That “suspension of recruitment for sororities” raises a flag with me...
Something more than a half GPA point got to her...
“...they know all their troubles will soon be over.”
Yes, I’ve heard of that. Also people who are put on anti-depressants sometimes “cheer up” just enough to do themselves in.
I feel very sorry for this girl’s family. I wish people who commit suicide would stop and think of their families and how much pain they are going to cause them.
The HS she went to Northern Highlands Regional would put 90% of private schools to shame. It is a very good school and public to boot.
Prayers up for her parents. Horrible.
Stunning girl. What a horrible waste. RIP. :-((
This story is an odd and sad echo to an incident in my freshman year. I had a classmate who started at Gettysburg College in the fall. After the first semester, he transferred to Penn State, and right about this time of year, shortly into the second semester, he also jumped to his death.
I totally believe you.
There are plenty of documented instances of “out of the blue” suicides. This may in fact be one of those sad ones where a hasty and impulsive response was made, and it just happened to be deadly and can’t be undone.
It’s tragic and very sad regardless.
That said, I’ve reviewed so many Arkancides that if it were my loved one I would at least look into all possible scenarios before I just took the word of the “authorities” at face value.
As a former prosecutor and defense attorney my experience with the system leaves me suspicious of most initial reports and quick conclusions.
I’d like to know how close this friend is to her dad and whether he has business dealings with him. If he financially benefits from being in good with him then I’m sure any funny business with the daughter could be a basis for murder.
It would be interesting to know what the autopsy shows. Like... was she pregnant?
I know I’m just speculating and it’s insensitive but I’m serious trying to make sense of this.
^^^
Wow! That is some pretty sick speculation....
I feel very sorry for this girl’s family. I wish people who commit suicide would stop and think of their families and how much pain they are going to cause them.
***
Ditto and ditto!
Oh dear, that’s terrible!
Sick speculation?
Yes.
Or rank speculation would work too.
My real point is that anything could have happened, including a simple and tragic suicide.
The media isn’t trustworthy or competent so I have become accustomed to questioning the original story.
I can't believe that some posters seem to think that because she was pretty she necessarily should have been happy. I went to college with a model-pretty girl, flaxen hair and porcelain skin. She wrote the darkest poetry you could ever imagine. The other students, especially the guys, just couldn't believe that such a beautiful young woman did not have a perfect life. One only needs to look to Hollywood to see that attractiveness does not equal happiness.
Lots of kids break down in freshman year. I know two women whose parents had to come take them home because they were cracking. My father in law threatened to kick my brother in law out of the house and the family if he didnt graduate from a school he was miserable at. It got so bad thst I think he would’ve killed himself if he hadnt been converted by the campus jehovahs witnesses.
Yes, that is true. It seems this girl had a lot going for her, but nothing is really a guarantee of happiness.
The media isn’t trustworthy or competent so I have become accustomed to questioning the original story.
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Understood. But sheesh....
Parental pressure can certainly be a factor. My first roommate at the Air Force Academy was attending only because he never worked up the courage to tell his father that he really preferred a different school. He lasted one day... snuck out of the room around 1:00am and tried to commit suicide by jumping off a wall near the dorm.
I agree.
100%.
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