Commentary The author is on sabbatical. The following column was published in 2019. As odd as it might seem, suicide used to be against the law in the United States. How in the world could you punish a dead person for taking that final, fatal act? Still, some states continue to have laws on the books labeling attempted suicide as a criminal act, although prosecutions have been rare. Statistics show more than 47,000 people killed themselves in the United States in 2017. Historically, that number has climbed higher every year. Who are these people, and what is driving them to snuff out their lives? There are no rock-solid answers. Depression and hopelessness seem to be the No. 1 reasons cited. Depression over the loss of a job or a personal relationship, financial stress, and poor health are often mentioned. Every casualty comes with its own unique story, but there are …