None of us can believe that Anthony Bourdain has taken his own life! His fame and fortune did not seem to be enough to capture his own attention. As a celebrity, Bourdain was unassuming, daring, and fun loving. So what would drive such a man to his own destruction? Was he so unhappy with his life that it no longer mattered? Was he so mired in his own muck that he could not find a way out? Only he could tell us what he was thinking before he meticulously found a way to hang himself. A report by CNN relayed news of Bourdain's passing, later confirmed on social media by his family.

Were drugs a problem?

Did his previous encounter with heroine and other drugs pull him back into something he dare not talk about? He was always very vocal about what he thought about any location he visited, he was also very vocal about death in his last few episodes. Did he imagine he would die in the very near future, or was he calling out for help that never arrived? His brush with others in life, who survived some horrible situations, could have had an influence on his decision. Or was he simply being selfish and only thinking of himself at the time of his death?

Was Anthony Bourdain a product of his own doing? His youth was difficult, his tangle with the dark side of the world was mind-numbing, and his emergence as a celebrity was brilliant!

Could all of this have contributed to suicide? Only he knows for sure. For the rest of us, his death comes as a total shock! And I and many others are very saddened by what has happened. Celebrities are definitely in the high-risk category for self-destruction. Often we hear about it and are sorry to hear about it, but others tug at your heart.

Anthony Bourdain was beyond special, he was a person we could admire with his down-to-earth dialog. He was someone who had an influence beyond the culinary world. He had an influence on how we perceive everything.

A provider of influence

You may ask what influence he has provided? The answer here is simple enough. He has traveled to some very unusual locations and partaken in their food rituals, preparation, and sharing the food at the dining table.

Several episodes come to mind when looking at foods I would never dream of eating. Vietnam, Cambodia, and other hot climate places share the stage. Would you eat blood sausage if you had to drink the blood first when the animal was slaughtered? I know it would turn my stomach, but no, there was Anthony Bourdain, right in the middle of the pack, taking a drink and sharing the food. Although some of the food disgusts my Western Hemisphere palate, I am sure a few of us have learned to try new things. Thanks for the exposure and taking us out of our comfort zone.

Anthony Bourdain, we will miss you.
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