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Man's struggle with mental illness ends in suicide

Star - 1/20/2021

Jan. 20—Molly Mazanec watched her son fight a mental illness for 16 years that she believes twisted a sweet boy into a man who could barely recognize himself at the end.

Luke Mazanec had suffered from bi-polar disorder and depression since being diagnosed at age 14. On Nov. 7, at age 30, Mazanec ended his own life.

"It's just horrible seeing your child in a casket," she said.

As Molly Mazanec described the loss of her son, she mentioned how tired she was, her voice reflected that weariness.

It was on Sept. 12 when Luke's reality broke, Molly Mazanec said.

The mother received a call from Luke and his wife who were living in Shelby. The two had been arguing, and it was getting to be too much. Molly Mazanec and her husband made the journey from Greenville, South Carolina, to Cleveland County.

Luke was prone to angry outbursts and would sometimes physically hurt those around him. He had received treatment over the years to manage his disorders, but for six months with with no in-person treatment available due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Luke struggled, said his mother.

She believes her son was stressed due to not having work, on-going arguments with his wife, and feeling isolated.

Luke's behavior that day was different from other manic or depressive episodes Molly Mazanec had witnessed from her son over the years.

Molly Mazanec recalls Luke talking about himself in the third person and not recognizing anyone trying to calm him. He pulled a knife and bow and arrow on them, police said.

After they arrived and more arguing ensued, Luke shot an arrow at his family and proceeded to beat his mother and wife that day, according to the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office.

"I think he was so out of his mind that he didn't even know it was me," she said.

After the beating, she lost consciousness. The next thing she remembers is waking up at the ER at Atrium Health-Cleveland in Shelby. She was told Luke tried to hang himself. She cried.

Luke had been resuscitated and was in the same hospital as his mother.

"I asked the nurses to go tell him that I loved him and forgive him," Mazanec said, remembering the words she uttered as she lay in a hospital bed being treated for the wounds inflicted by Luke just hours before.

Luke's violent attack led to charges of kidnapping, assault by strangulation, two counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to cause serious injury, and two counts of assault on a female.

Luke went to Broughton Hospital, a psychiatric facility in Morganton, a few days after the incident to be assessed and treated for the episode.

The Mazanecs would not hear from him again until the first week in October, when he called from Charleston, South Carolina, after being released from the facility.

Molly Mazanec just wonders what more could have been done over the years.

Funding cuts cripple ability to treat

A 2019 health assessment of the county by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services located several key factors including residents thinking more needs to be done for those with a mental health disorder.

"Mental health issues are major concerns of county residents with many reporting actual diagnoses of anxiety and depression and more residents indicating concerns with personal stress management and anger management issues. Data also indicates frustration with the lack of affordable mental health services provided locally for county residents," according to the report.

The assessment indicated that suicide is the third leading cause of death reported among Cleveland County residents ages 20-39 and the ninth leading cause of death among those 40 to 64 years old between 2014 and 2018.

Among North Carolina residents in the same period, suicide was the sixth leading cause of death among people up to age 19, the third leading cause of death among those 20 to 39 years old and the eighth leading cause of death among those 40 to 64 years old.

Kevin Oliver, CEO of Phoenix Counseling Crisis Center, who has helped people during times of crisis and managed their mental wellness for years said he isn't surprised by the numbers. He wouldn't be surprised if those numbers increase.

"As we look at these issues, we are literally getting cut at the state level for funding. And this has happened for the past four years. It has been somewhat devastating for care," Oliver said.

In the 2018-2019 fiscal year, more than $90 million was cut from state funding of agencies like Phoenix and Partners Behavioral Health.

Oliver believes this lack of funds cuts into available care for people like Luke.

"We are looking down at the breakdown of the behavioral health world," he said.

'It was bound to happen'

After leaving Broughton, Luke ended up in Charleston, South Carolina, where he called his mother for help. Luke fell ill and the two rented rooms at a hotel in Greenville, South Carolina, in November.

Molly Mazanec witnessed Luke continue to struggle mentally and physically. He would take his life in the hotel room.

Molly Mazanec has cried and continues to mourn the loss of her son in her own way. She excused Luke's actions over the years as a by-product of his bi-polar diagnosis and even in his death believes he never meant to hurt anyone.

Now as she reflects on the last few months, she is numb to much of what she has recounted and believes no matter what treatment she got Luke, the outcome would have been the same.

"There was no way he was going to live," she said. "It was bound to happen."

Joyce Orlando can be reached at 704-669-3341 or find her on Twitter @Star_J_Orlando.

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