#Depression and Aaron and all the others

A lot has been said about the untimely death of Aaron Swartz. It is sad that a life with so much promise comes to an early end. I met Aaron at Wikimania, he presented there as well.

Aaron like me and many other Wikimedians suffered from depression. The circumstances were not favourable for him; there was a real chance for him to go to jail. He could not cope with that possibility, he committed suicide.

Depression is a killer. For the people prosecuting Aaron, his case was business as usual. Now that he is dead, they have come to realise that Aaron was anything but usual.

Many of the people who read and edit Wikipedia suffer from all kinds of psychiatric disorders. For many of them being a Wikimedian is therapeutic.

If anything I wish that more people realise that many people who suffer from psychiatric disorders do contribute to the common good.
Thanks,
      Gerard