Mar 18, 2008 (4:20p CDT)
By RAMIT PLUSHNICK-MASTI (Associated Press Writer) PITTSBURGH - Vicki Van Meter, celebrated for piloting a plane across the country at age 11 and from the U.S. to Europe at age 12, has died of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Crawford County coroner said. She was 26.
Van Meter died Saturday and her body was found in her Meadville home on Sunday. Her brother said she battled depression and opposed medication, but her family thought she had been dealing with her problems."She was unhappy, but it was hard for her to open up about that and we all thought that she was coping," Daniel Van Meter said. "This really is a shock, because we didn't see the signs."Van Meter made national headlines in 1993 and 1994 when she made her cross-country and trans-Atlantic flights accompanied only by a flight instructor. Her instructors said she was at the controls during the entirety of both flights.
As a sixth-grader in September 1993, Van Meter flew from Augusta, Maine, to San Diego over five days. She had to fight strong headwinds and turbulence that bounced her single-engine Cessna 172 and made her sick. At the time, she was believed to be the youngest girl to fly across the United States; the record was later broken.
Nine months later, Van Meter flew from Augusta to Glasgow, Scotland, and was credited with being the youngest girl to make a trans-Atlantic flight. She battled dizziness brought on by high altitude and declared upon landing: "I always thought it would be real hard and it was."Later she earned a degree in criminal justice from Edinboro University in Pennsylvania and spent two years with the Peace Corps in Cahul, Moldova. She recently worked as an investigative agent for an insurance company."
"She led a full and interesting life. ... She had more guts than any of us could ever imagine," said her mother, Corinne Van Meter, 57. Corinne Van Meter said her daughter had recently begun applying to graduate schools and wanted to study psychology.
"We will miss her dearly, but we are very, very aware that she is doing important work somewhere else right now," she said.
And so, I just want to ask them how it was possible that they knew she was severely depressed, but they didn't "see the signs." This story struck a nerve with me. I remember what my life was like when I always tried to be the most astounding person I could manage. Being the best wasn't nearly as important to me as being interesting, and that paled in comparison to my need for adrenalin-fired stimulation. I know other people just like me. Those with bipolar disorder, in particular, are known to seek out risky behavior, which often manifests in a much more benign way during childhood and adolescence.
Either you get it or you don't. Living for the thrill is nature's way of letting on that your brain chemicals just might be a little frisky. Frankly, I miss it. I've lead an interesting life, for sure, but I do have wistful moments of wanting to break loose from medication-induced restraint. The final line of the news story reminded me of something my husband would say to reassure himself I was OK even in death. Why not, "May was a bad ass buried in the persona of a schlumpy social worker. Thank god she busted out of that cocoon."
5 comments:
I can understand the need and purpose of adreneline. I don't feel like that very often, but I understand from the opposite extreme, I think. There was a period of time when I was so aware of any signs of physical arousal (reminding me of panic) that I didn't even want to move around unnecessarily because pulse rate increases with activity level. After reading your post about excercise... I'm glad that particular phase was so short lived. :-)
You know, May, I have been thinking, for a long time, of learning to pilot. I don't even want to try due to safety concerns. I don't fear the adreneline. I think my problem would go in the opposite direction. If you are familiar with my photography and its origins, perhaps you understand. I hate to think what would happen if I were to zone out up there. However, maybe I could go up as a passenger. I've been thinking about it. I guess I'll let you know if it ever happens.
Lynn
We always say we didnt know when things like this happen, we didnt see the signs. The trouth is the signs are always there, we choose to ignore them in an attemt to delude ourselves that everything is alright. It really is a very sad situation,we can say the family could have done so much more but essentially it comes down to the individuals will to live. You as a loved one can do little more than be there for support and hope and pray the ill person seeks the help they need. A young life wasted is the most tragic thing of all. Living through the aftermath of a decision like this is no easy feat and I wish her loved ones well.
Lynn,
Piloting is a very senssory-rich experience, yet it also requires a lot of focus. Just going up with an experienced pilot who isn't there to show off is really a good way to get a feel for your reaction to aviation. One person's fright is another's exhilaration.
photo_chiq, that was my point, exactly. When people say they never saw it coming, I wonder if they spend the rest of their lives questioning their supposed lack of insight.
I have long been of the opinion that when someone is in crisis, only he or she can decide whether it's worth continuing to live, but...comfort and sincere concern are not lost on that person no matter how the situation turns out.
I don't understand why they didn't get this girl some help!!
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