Parts Unknown (for All Those Who Know)

A friend found him hanging in his

hotel room that morning. It was in

France where he was shooting an

episode of his acclaimed TV show.

They didn’t give a reason. The view-

ing public wondered why for he

seemed self-assured and at the

pinnacle of his career, had world

wide fame, and I’m sure enough

money to live comfortable for the

rest of his life should he ever de-

cide to leave the limelight and

retire. I, myself, tuned in weekly

to experience the world vicariously

through his adventurous travels.

He managed to give a deeper

perspective of people and places

which other travelogues never

dared to explore. And one morning

in France, a friend found him hang-

ing. He may have left a last note

explaining why, but no answers

were forthcoming. I’m sure his

friend knows, but he has not re-

veiled anything publicly. Through

his personal revelations on TV,

and having become aware of his life-

long chronic depression and his ten-

dancy for substance abuse, I would

imagine these may have driven him

to such despair. I understand what

it’s like on the edge of that abyss,

for I myself have been there. Some

will say Antony Bourdain had it

made. What would process him to

take his own life this way? I say it

was a lifelong process he was going

through which eventually consumed

him. Perhaps he had a malignant can-

cer he chose not to endure. Life and

shit often times happen that way.

Tony is gone, a note may help explain

that his pain just became too great.

But no matter the case, his program

was appropriately titled, Parts Unknown.

Chris Hanch 6-9-19