To most of us, the news of Lee Thompson Young's tragic death
on Tuesday, Aug. 19, came as a complete shock.
But sources close to the late actor exclusively tell E! News
he had suffered from depression for some time leading up to his apparent
suicide.
The Rizzoli & Isles star, who was 29 at the time of his
death, "didn't drink or party," says a source, adding, "He was the opposite. Lee loved to
travel and was always the first to tell everyone to take a breath and enjoy the
beauty of life." He was always "gentle and unassuming," despite
his early success, and didn't have the typical "look-at-me" attitude.
That said, those close to Young noticed things "really
changed" a few years ago when he began practicing Yorùbá, an Africa-based
laguage which has a saying, "iku ya j'esin", meaning "death is preferable to ignominy."
Some have questioned whether this means that suicide is an acceptable way to
preserve personal or family honour in the face of public shame.
However, Yorùbá culture icon and Chief Priest of Osogbo, Araba
Ifayemi Osundagbonu Elebuibon, told the National Mirror earlier this year that
the religion "[does] not support suicide. Their belief is that if somebody
commits suicide, they will be punished in the hereafter."
The Famous Jett Jackson star "took [his religion] to
the next level and started wearing white all of the time," says a source,
adding, "This religion was everything to him." Although he reportedly took a break from
practicing Yorùbá, he recently returned to the religion. Just before his death,
he visited a small village in Africa for something reportedly related to the
religion.
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