Hugh O'conner's life and death mattered

I was recently watching an episode of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT and when the character Lonnie Jamison appeared on screen I shed a few tears. This handsome young Sparta Georgia police officer was portrayed by Hugh O'Conner the adopted son of series star Carol O'Conner. I enjoyed seeing Jamison and his partners Parker and Sweet each week as they interacted on the show. I thought Hugh to be rather cute with a boyish charm and a decent actor although some might say he only obtained the role because his father was the star of the show.

The reason I shed a few years is that I had read of the struggles this young man faced prior to taking his own life. When I did a Google search of his name I pulled up an article that I will not dignify by sharing. In it, however, the author referred to Hugh O'Conner as a "piece of shit". This often happens with those who become addicted to illegal drugs because of their behavior. People seem to forget that they once were decent citizens and that the drugs changed their personalities.

Hugh O'Conner was born on April 8, 1962, in Rome, Italy. When he was only 6 days old he was adopted by Carroll O'Conner and his wife, Nancy and named for Carroll's brother who died in a motorcycle accident in 1961. Carroll was in Rome while filming the movie CLEOPATRA but it's not clear why he and his wife decided to adopt a child at that time.

At the age of 16, Hugh was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma and after chemotherapy and two surgeries he was declared cancer-free but was not able to shake his addiction to drugs. He had been taking prescription meds for pain but later became dependent on harder drugs. His autopsy report said cocaine was in his system and there have been reports that he was smoking crack. Despite numerous stays at rehabilitation clinics, Hugh, like many others was never able to conquer his addiction.

Hug O'Conner was beloved by his father Carroll and his wife Angela Clayton O'Conner whom he married on March 28, 1992. The couple had a son they named Sean Carroll O'Conner. On the day of his third anniversary with Angela, March 28, 1995, Hugh called his father Carroll and told him that he was going to end his own life. Hugh told his father that he did not believe he could not beat his drug addiction and simply could not face another stint in a drug rehabilitation program. Carroll called the police, who arrived at Hugh's home in Pacific Palisades, California, just as he shot himself.

Not everyone can overcome addiction and some do decide to take their own lives. It may be through suicide as with Hugh O'Conner or it could be in other ways. The addicted person might take a "What the hell attitude" and drink or drug themselves to death because they don't believe they will ever recover. They could also stop taking medications prescribed for health issues and simply give up. I know of people who were told by doctors that if they did not stop drinking or drugging they would die and were unable to stop and eventually passed away.

This is heartbreaking for those left behind and unfair for anyone to be labeled a crack head, junkie, or a lush. No one is born an addict and yes people make the initial choice to take the first drink or try an illegal drug. Some walk away, and others use only now and then. Hugh O'Conner was a husband, father, and entertainer. None of this should be eclipsed by the manner in which he died. On behalf of all the Hugh O'Conners of the world I ask you to remember that they were so much more than their addiction.