Heather Armstrong, aka Dooce, queen of mommy blogging, dead at age 47. Her style of writing offended many, but she grew an online presence by being the ‘tyrant’ of all blogs. Long time boyfriend confirmed that her passing was by suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with a crisis and need help please dial 988.
Heather Brooke Hamilton aka Heather B. Armstrong aka dooce aka love of my life. July 19, 1975 — May 9, 2023. It takes an ocean not to break. Hold your loved ones close and love everyone else.
Pete Ashdown
Comments poured out on her Insta like this one:
Heather Armstrong, also known as ‘Dooce’ dead at 47
Mom to Leta and Marlo, ex wife and business partner of Jon Armstrong; they separated in 2012. Heather was called one of the most influential women in media by FORBES. Armstrong was very open about her struggles with depression, alcoholism and other mental health issues as depicted in her writing.
She enrolled herself in a clinical trial at the University of Utah’s Neuropsychiatric Institute, where she was placed in an induced coma for several minutes at least 3 times a week. The treatment was creating a ‘brain dead’ experience to see if they could find a cure for depression.
The Valedictorian of Death is a book she wrote to release the battles and demons inside; the torturous eighteen months of suicidal depression she endured and the month-long experimental study in which doctors used propofol anesthesia to quiet all brain activity for a full fifteen minutes before bringing her back from a flatline. Ten times.
One book review states:
“I found the author very, very good at describing how it feels to be so depressed that she wanted to be dead but much of the book is a lot of description of the sounds of her mother’s shoes as she walks quickly, a conversation about constipation, how tired she is after a treatment, or the minutiae of making special sandwiches for her daughter’s. Her writing tends toward promising something deeper but leaves me wanting as it doesn’t deliver.”
Her boyfriend Pete Ashdow told The Associated Press she died by suicide after recently relapsing following months of sobriety.
Best Blogger Leaves Behind a Trail of Writing Only Some Can Relate To
Her blog is still published today for viewers to read. Dooce is not for everyone. Many claim they don’t understand but there’s a lot who can. Some of her fans are asking if the person (I assume her boyfriend) should be posting on her social media and making changes to her website.
I’ll be completely honest, I was never one who understood her style of writing. That’s not to say that she didn’t connect with hundreds of thousands out there struggling or, who just admire someone being so honest with the world. But then again, was she really being that honest. Did she hide a lot of the truth in words readers couldn’t grasp?
I think what’s important is that we all understand that being so vulnerably social sometimes isn’t the healthiest. Rather than putting on a facade and dealing with hateful, rude comments that none of us need on the web, we keep most of our lives private. Not everything needs to be aired.
Are you someone who read her blog?