Warning: This story contains mentions of suicide that may be triggering to some readers.

A Life Gone Too Soon

Athletic, curious, with a genius-level IQ and a kind soul, our son Liam Roeth took his life at age 25.

Liam truly delved into many different areas, driven by his own curiosity and interests. He was loved immensely by his parents, his older sister, his sweet and intelligent girlfriend of three years, and his relatives and friends; yet he chose to hide his personal struggle. All of us were stunned when he sent a message of love to his family and girlfriend and then took his life one fateful night while we were away, expecting him to join us in Boston on our family trip.

Unending Curiosity

Liam was a very happy and intelligent child. His curiosity was apparent early on, which led to him being accepted into and attending a public charter school for highly gifted students, starting there in the first grade. A prolific reader, Liam was fascinated by the sciences so much that teachers often asked him to clarify advanced topics for his classmates. He eagerly helped when he could without arrogance, only with generosity and care – traits that defined him.

This love for knowledge drove Liam to take up multiple projects from a young age, including:

• Designing a computer from the very lowest level components (NAND gates)
• Designing a steam engine
• Building an electronic fencing tester
• Performing major repairs on our cars

He was unafraid to take on whatever came his way and confident he could figure it out independently.

Not only was Liam passionate about learning, he was tremendously talented in the arts as well. He loved to sing, dance, and act, performing annually in the school’s musicals. In fifth grade, Liam earned a major role in their production of The Music Man, beating out older students for the part.

During rehearsals, teachers told us Liam fainted twice, telling us he “hit his head hard” when falling down. These were two instances of him experiencing head injuries. A physician at the hospital told us that Liam simply passed out due to dehydration, and drinking adequate water seemed to fix this problem.

In middle school, Liam was again accepted into an accelerated program for highly gifted students. By the time he finished eighth grade, he’d completed all the standard high school math courses and earned advanced credits in English and Latin. Though Liam didn’t show any signs of stress in regard to his academics, we noticed he sometimes struggled with organization. He was twice tested for ADHD, but results came up negative both times. We enrolled Liam in a Lindamood-Bell Learning Center, where kind experts provided him with tips and exercises to improve his skills in executive function.

But Liam wasn’t merely a devoted scholar who loved to learn, he pursued athletics as well. He was a competitive swimmer and cross-country runner, earning a varsity letter on his high school teams in his freshman year. If that wasn’t enough, Liam then picked up epee fencing where in a span of two short years, he qualified for and competed in USA Fencing Nationals.

On the morning Liam was supposed to take the ACT test, he initially drove to the wrong testing site. Fortunately, he managed to get himself to the correct location just in time and ended up receiving a score of 36, the highest possible result. His other strong test scores, high grades, and his National Merit Scholar award made him an attractive candidate for merit-based scholarships at various colleges and universities.

Ultimately, Liam ended up choosing Hofstra University in New York, where they awarded him with their Trustee scholarship, which covered the full cost of his tuition for four years. For four summers, Liam worked as an assistant swim coach for summer swim league where the swimmers and parents loved him and his coaching.

The Effect of Head Injuries

Liam sustained at least four head injuries as a child, two requiring staples. He also enjoyed inline skating in his teens and twenties, and though he was consistent about wearing a helmet, had one major fall resulting in a visit to the hospital, a broken tooth, and stitches. Fortunately, his father was able to visit him the day after that fall and Liam seemed to be recovering well.

Although Liam was expected to graduate from Hofstra in the spring of 2022, he began that semester recovering from an adverse reaction to a COVID-19 booster shot, required by the school for in-person learning. Later that semester, he became overwhelmed and stopped going to classes. We only found out a few weeks later, at which point he’d already dropped out, meaning he lost his scholarship and would be unable to graduate.

We immediately helped Liam find therapy and connected him with a school counselor who reported that he seemed to be doing remarkably well for a student in his situation. We also encouraged him to file a withdrawal form to protect his academic standing should he wish to someday finish his studies or transfer credits to another school. We provided counseling for him which he welcomed.

Months afterwards, I asked Liam if we’d supported him enough during this difficult period and his response was, “Oh, you guys were great.” Further, he declined to continue with counseling, which made it seem as if he was doing better.

Liam moved back home to Charlotte, North Carolina in May of 2024 while maintaining a long-distance relationship with his girlfriend in New York. He lived in a separate studio apartment over our garage, giving him the option of joining us for dinner when able, or cooking for himself in his own small kitchen. Since Liam was now 25, we gave him companionship without interference.

At home, Liam planned to attend UNC Charlotte in the hopes of finishing his computer science degree so he took steps to establish in-state residency requirements. Just weeks before the start of classes, he said he’d changed his mind about going back to school so I suggested he consider a three-month coding bootcamp as an easier and faster alternative option to more school, but he said he wasn’t interested.

In his free time, Liam stayed busy by hiking and camping in nearby Uwharrie National Forest. He also enjoyed rock climbing at the local Inner Peaks facility. We held monthly book club and karaoke gatherings in our home, which he attended regularly and seemed to enjoy.

To make some money, Liam worked for a dry cleaner where he’d previously been on and off since high school. While everyone loved him there, we’ve since learned that the well-meaning owner had asked Liam to continue his studies to remain employed, which may have added pressure to his situation.

Before leaving for Boston in June of 2025, we hugged and kissed Liam goodbye, thinking he’d be joining us soon. He seemed happy to us, but it was the last time we would ever see him.

Liam’s brain has been donated to the UNITE Brain Bank to help advance critical research on brain injury relative to mental health. This was also done in light of who Liam was – someone who always held a keen interest in science of all kinds. The fact he can contribute to this effort posthumously is one bright spot in an otherwise dark situation.

We had no idea Liam was struggling so much. He hid his pain from all of us, trying not to be a burden I guess. We will love and miss him for the rest of our lives.

______________________________________

Suicide is preventable and help is available. If you are concerned that someone in your life may be suicidal, the five #BeThe1To steps are simple actions anyone can take to help someone in crisis. If you are struggling to cope and would like some emotional support, call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 to connect with a trained counselor. It’s free, confidential, and available to everyone in the United States. You do not have to be suicidal to call.

Are you or someone you know struggling with lingering concussion symptoms? We support patients and families through the Concussion & CTE Foundation HelpLine providing personalized help to those struggling with the outcomes of brain injury. Submit your request today and a dedicated member of our team will be happy to assist you.