Sad, sad news this morning: according to the internet, Scott “Beefcakes” Bickel, competitive eater, past Scene cover subject, and all-around incredible guy, died last night. We’re trying to confirm all the various rumors, but so far officials are mum.
Last night Scott posted a note on his Facebook page that plainly stated he was planning to take his own life by jumping from the “Rt. 82 bridge in the Brecksville/Macedonia area.” As evidenced by 200 or so comments that followed urging him not to, no one has been able to get in touch with him since. This morning, the Plain Dealer reports, a man’s body was found in that area late last night. The article cites the probable cause of death as suicide, according to the Summit County Medical Examiner.
This morning, we spoke with Gary Guenther, an investigator with the medical examiner. He said the body has not been officially ID’d yet, and he couldn’t comment on whether it was Bickel. (Update: Guenther now confirms that the body has been positively identified as Scott Bickel.) All he could tell us was that the body was found 30 to 40 feet downstream of the bridge. An official announcement may come this afternoon.
Cuyahoga Valley National Park spokesperson Mary Pat Doorley tells Scene that their organization has identified the body and informed the family, but they’re not confirming whether or not it was Bickel out of respect for the family. She added that investigators don’t believe it was foul play.
This is all terrible. Scott was a great guy who blitzed everything he did with unbridled energy and emotion. Also, he was an incredibly nice guy. If anyone has actual confirmed details, buzz us at 216-802-7231. We’ll update with official announcements. Otherwise, feel free to post memories of Scott below in the comments section. If you knew Scott, he probably left an impression.
This article appears in Jan 11-17, 2012.
I loved the kid. He was an incredible human being. I knew him. I played football with him and his determination was unparalled. I still can’t believe what happened. I’m just speechless. RIP Scott.
God…
Thats really sad…
Liked reading about him and his exploits…
You guys were really cool with him too….
Like that…
my brother committed suicide and still can’t understand why; with all the help that’s available. it’s a shame, i feel sorry for the family because of the blame they are going to put on themselfs. let me say to them as a person who knows,(” it’s not your fault “). may he rest in peace, Amen
Back when Scott played football, I looked up to him.. He was just a strong and physical human being. He always had a winning attitude and always had goals to attain. Scott didn’t know it, but he was a mentor to many young athletes such as myself. North Royalton lost a great man last night and whether you knew him personally or not, Scott would have taken the time to get to know you. RIP Scott Bickel
Bipolar disorder is so hard. The people who suffer from it are often so talented and loved and entertaining, that we can not understand how someone with so much, can feel so much pain inside. Living intensely as his note indicated can confuse you…and then on impulse the act of ending it all takes control. Remember his glow and light and realize we are all eternal.
I need to share this with every1:two months ago I was admitt to the hosp. Then tranferred to a place Called Bridgeway.The reason for the admittment was I tried to comment SUICIDE.. During my stay Bridgeway i was scared,neverous,couldn’t eat or sleep.Didnt feel like I had noone,so I kept to myself.(Tears running down my eyes right now)Until 1day I young man walked up to me & said heool my name is Scott,Scott Bickel (with his hand reached out for me to shake) your name is Aalim right. I said yes how did you know that? then he told me he’s been watching me & that something told him he needs to have a talk with me..WOW i was really got scared then, but I said what do I have to lose so I talked to him & that was the best Converasation any Doctor or any1 in the world could have gave me.Thanks Scott.We shared so many of the same pains,I am not Bipolar I was diagnose with Depression But Scott help me understand everything,He was so smart.Now let me tell you how he ended the converasation,WITH A CARD TRICK!!!!!!! WOW HE WAS AMAZING!!! AT THAT TIME I FELT LIKE A LIL KID WITH THE BIGGEST SMILE ON MY FACE IN 4 MONTHS,I LOVE YOU SCOTT YOU WAS MY ANGEL SENT FROM GOD TO ME AT THE TIME I NEEDED TO HEAR FROM HIM.I spent everyday for 2wks straight from that day on with SCOTT & LEARNED SO MUCH ABOUT HIM & LIFE AS HE HELPED ME LIVE FOR ANOTHER DAY. YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN MY HEART,SOUL,LIFE,MEMORIES,MY EVERY HEARTBEAT,EVERY BREATH i TAKE FROM THIS DAY ON I OLE YOU MY LIFE MY FRIEND OR SHALL I SAY MY ANGEL………………. SO EVERY1 WHO HAS READ THIS PLEASE DO ME A FAVOUR GOOGLE HIM ” SCOTT BICKEL” & LEARN AS I DID…… REST IN PEACE MY ANGEL UNTIL I SEE YOU AGAIN ;-(
Scott was in a hurry to achieve since the time I first met him as an eight year-old. As we sat under the overhang between the garage and house, Scott asked me how he could be a writer. I suggested he start a journal and write about his life experiences on a day-to-day effort. He’d ask my opinions about careers from time-to-time and I told him to think college telling him if he wanted to get into the media to study political science and also to survive by getting his FCC GROL commercial license. I even sent him the latest book to study. Scott did a lot in his short life – perhaps he burned too intensely. Like many who read his last message in Facebook, I was concerned about Scott, and hope he would not go through with such an action. I had caught it the morning after his death. I just hoped it was not true and was saddened at the realization that it was. Let me make this clear, his adoptive parents loved him a lot – he was given more positive opportunities by his adoptive parents than he would have been from his birth parents. They gave him a great home in a nice suburb and really cared about him. I’ve know his father since we were in junior high school together. Norm was a great guy to hang with in that time and both he and his wife remain great friends now. Learning that Scott was bipolar, I knew he was going through a lot of uncertainty, but felt he had the motivation to overcome any obstacles as he had come through up to this point. My Prayers are for Scott, but they are also for his parents, Norm and Pat.
My daughter and Scott were friends in high school. She would come home and tell me about a magic trick he showed her or something he did that made her laugh. After high school they didn’t see each other much but she was friends with him on facebook and would tell me about the book he wrote and other things he was doing. I knew a little about his life by things my daughter would tell me but it wasn’t until today that I read it in detail. I started sobbing at the thought that this child of 21 had had to endure so much in his short life. Thank God for his adoptive parents who loved him and tried to give him as normal of a life as they could have at that point. As a mother, I do not understand how people could abandon and abuse a child. Last night when my daughter read me the “post” on facebook and the helplessness of how quickly everything played out leaves me with an empty feeling of “why”. I keep thinking someone is going to pinch me and I will wake up and it isn’t true. If only he could have believed how many people loved him and cared about him. This truly is a tragedy 🙁
THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS IS THE ULTIMATE LIFE ADVENTURE
-Scott Anthony Michael Bickel
Let me take the time out to inform you I did NOT know this guy what so ever but I ould like to post something about this. You may or may NOT take offence to it, but by no means is it directed to a specific person. It is only my outlook on this topic. I just hope it allows me to say all I need to say.
See everyone thinks having an illness is only in your head. When you are Bi-Polar, Deressed, or any other MENTAL issue it’s NOT a joke.We have friends and family for a reason. This man fell to his death because he could not handle it anymore. He gave up his life with his struggles and worries behind him while he left everyone else hurtting. You all say your friends yet only show how true of a friend you are til it’s TO LATE. This man was 21 years old and needed some serious friends … Where were they? They never even bothered… they bickered on his suicide post on his fb … kept asking if it was a joke, had OTHERS do what they should have done. If I were to have seen this I would have been at one of two places. His house or the bridge… speeding or not I would have gone to the bridge first and waited. I didn’t even know him but that’s what I would have done even if I had only met him once. It’s sad to see what little effort people make these days when it comes to helping others out.That is why I will NEVER fall short of being a good person. If you were my friend or enemy If I knew where you lived or where you are going to commit such thing I’m going to be there!! I make each and everyone of you this promise!! I WILL NEVER FALL ANYTHING SHORT OF A CARING PERSON!! You will tred boots on me stab knives in my back spit in my face and pull my hair but I WILL NEVER hurt you or allow you to hurt yourself!! R.I.P Scott … Only If i would have known you and lived a little closer to have stopped you in time.
Scott had a lot of friends who loved him and cared about him. There was only about five minutes between the time he posted his suicide note and, his numerous friends who called the police immediately, finding out it was too late. Ros’e, since you didn’t know Scott please take the time to Google him or read about his life. Rather than be angry at his friends we need to be angry at people who neglect and abuse children that they are supposed to be protecting. Scott was truly an inspiration to others due to the fact that after all he had been through he could still have “love” for other people. I will never understand why he did this but if you ever heard the song “If I die young” you should pay attention to the verse that says “funny how when your dead people start listening”. Let’s all take Scotts last words and make a difference in someone’s life.
I met Bickel in the Marines in 2009 he is a highly motivated guy who I grew to respect. I lost touch sadly due changing commands all I say is this. Oorah brother proud to have known such a great guy
I didnt know Scott, but my sister did, and my nephew and niece were his friends so this is painful to me beyond words, for my family, and his family and Scott. I wish I knew him, I wish I could have maybe helped him, I dont know, but I wish I could have tried. The depth of sadness and anguish that I feel is I am sure, nowhere near what his loved ones feel. It saddens me that the only choice he felt he had was this, I will never understand that, but then, I didnt live in his shoes or deal with what must have been so difficult for him that this seemed to be his only answer. This will haunt me for a very long time. My heart and sympathies go out to my family and his and I am sooo sorry for this tragic horrible loss.
Rose yes this was his final post and final minute of his death. He posted this with phone in hand before he jumped from the bridge. He did have good friends that saved him from the brink many times. This time he was going and wasnt coming back…he was ready and so he did. RIP Scott loved always by MANY FRIENDS!!
Back in high school Scott was always the popular guy, the football player we all cheered for. Everyone loved scott and looked up to him. He inspired so many, as you can tell on his facebook page he has hundreds, maybe even a thousand comments. It makes me sad that one of my/our fellow classmates is gone, but will never be forgotten. Scott, I hope you found peace.
my Older sister graduated wit him and she said he was a good guy i feel bad 4 what happened and R.I.P Scott Bickel u were always liked in North Royalton high school and u were a person that other ppl would look up 2 soooo R.I.P scott Bickel
I did not know Scott, but wish I had.
People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know
what to do with that person.
When someone is in your life for a Reason, it is usually to meet a need You have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulity, to provide you with Guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spititually.
They may seem like a God send, and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has bee answered and now it is time to move on.
Some people come into your life for a Season, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.
Lifetime relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson. Love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.
Thank you Scott for being a part of so many peoples’ lives. Whether you were a reason, a season or…a lifetime.
I knew Scott very well. I meet him at Applebees in Strongsville when we both worked there 2 years ago. Thats when he got the idea to become the greatest eater in the world. I backed him and supported him the whole way. I went to all but one show(Due to work). I was even in the Scene write up with him. Scott was one of my closest friends. He told me I was like an older brother to him, and I loved him like he was my little brother. He was able to call me a few times when he was depressed and at that point. I even talked to him and helped him to make the decision to check himself in the last time. I wish he would have called. I know for a fact that I would have been able to talk him into a better mood. I have before. He was just to far gone that night to save. In his mind he was done. I miss him more and more every minute of every day. @Scott, Scotty, I miss you bro. I love ya, too. Watch over us all as we continue in this lifes journey. I know that, up there in heaven, you have that mustard belt around your waist and your arms raised high. You can rest now Scotty, no more OCD, no more BI-POLAR. Until we meet again, my brother. Keep the hott dogs warm for me………