Martin Manley turned 60 years old on August 15th, 2013
Do you know the story of Martin Manley? Self proclaimed smartest person in Missouri (he had the test results). Prolific writer… thousands and thousands of articles published. Blogger. Famous sports statistician. If you are a long time Kansas City Royals or Chiefs fan, you have read his work. But all of that… overwhelmed by what he did on his 60th birthday.
I turn 60 years old on April 7th, 2018
I have plotted and planned my escape. Career change. Finally, finally doing what I always wanted to do. The very best years of my life yet to come. To become after 60, what Martin Manley had before 60.
Martin Manley died on August 15th, 2013
It was no accident. It was planned. One of the most meticulously planned deaths in history. The detail was mind-boggling. Begun many months earlier. He populated a website, full of his thoughts on a variety of issues, and discussing why he was ending his life. It was kept completely private, assembled, but only he could see it. Every single step of his suicide was thought thru, scripted, every variable covered. The best way for it to be accomplished. How his friends would be told. How the world would find out.
Then, in the early morning on August 15th, his website on a timer to go live, paid for five years in advance, Fed Ex overnight letters on their way to his friends and family, he drove to a police parking lot, stood under a tree, called the station to report his death… and shot himself dead.
His suicide note to the police:
“I committed suicide of my own free will. I am not under the influence of any drugs. I am sorry for your inconvenience! You will be contacted within a matter of hours by my sister. She will find out about this by an overnight letter and/or email I sent to her which she will get this morning. In it, I explain the exact location where I shot myself and gave her your phone number. At that time, she will tell you who I am. If you discover who I am prior to her call, please do not contact her. I do not want her (or anyone else I sent letters to overnight) to find out about it from you. I want them to find out about it from me. Thank you!
Martin Manley claimed he was not in the least bit depressed. Was socially active, had not lost a loved one recently, had no financial issues, no legal issues, no health issues. The smartest man in Missouri, just decided, over a long period of time… to kill himself.
And he wanted the entire world to be able to sift through the writings he left on his website. A strong desire to be famous in death. One thing he did not count on was Yahoo pulling the plug on his site when they discovered what he had done. Somehow it violated their terms of service. The ever helpful internet community rescued his words, mirrored his site. You can view one such partial mirroring here:
http://martin-manley.eprci.com
I was fascinated to read his site. But understanding or being able to relate? Not at all. I don’t know how to psychologically categorize him. Maybe it is sufficient to say… sometimes intelligent people are incredibly stupid.
I do believe it was wrong for Yahoo to delete his site. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to duplicate what he did after reading what he wrote. Meanwhile….
My new life begins on April 7th, 2018
And it begins now, today, and every day forward anew. And particularly nice on May 1st, 2018. It is always a good day to be alive.