'Top Gun' director Tony Scott had inoperable brain cancer, ABC News says

[Poll_Blind]

Source: ABC

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- "Top Gun" director Tony Scott had inoperable brain cancer, a source close to Scott told ABC News said Monday.

Scott died Sunday after apparently jumping off a Los Angeles County bridge, according to the coroner's office.

Officials said the 68-year-old jumped from the Vincent Thomas Bridge that links San Pedro with Terminal Island. Several people called 911 around 12:35 p.m. reporting that someone had jumped from the bridge.

A dive team with Los Angeles Port Police pulled the body from the murky water several hours later, officials said. Scott's body was taken to a dock in Wilmington and turned over to the county coroner's office.

Read more: http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/entertainment&id=8780017

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Tragic.

PB

[rfranklin]

1. What courage that took...

rather than succumbing to the medical profession and a long stay in the ICU.

[exboyfil]

4. Which is why we need to have assisted suicide in this country

He decided to check out in a sure fashion before the cancer could effect his reasoning, but his exit could have been better if he had done it in a controlled environment with no pain (possibly having his loved ones around him but not necessary - his choice). Now considerable expense and some risk accompany his decision (dive team as part of the body recovery for example).

My dad went through two years of hell fighting his cancer. Towards the end he would have wanted to end it if he had that option. My parents went through $100-$200K at the end for nothing except additional pain with possibly a few extra months. His friend, once he found out he had cancer, took his own life after seeing what my dad went through. I respect his decision.

[pansypoo53219]

19. what if we insisted our pets get no euthenasia too.

imagine if that would make people think abot suffering. he took the best option. sad.

[RebelOne]

22. I did not want to resort to euthanasia when my dog had inoperable cancer,

but she was in a a lot of pain despite the pain pills. While the vet was performing the procedure, she said that we should be able to do it to humans who are suffering from incurable diseases.

[Bluenorthwest]

27. While 'this country' can not make such a law, the States have and Oregon's can be read

at this link. Other States could implement such laws as well.
http://public.health.oregon.gov/ProviderPartnerResources/EvaluationResearch/DeathwithDignityAct/Pages/index.aspx

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

12. I'm all for medical assisted suicide....

....but jumping off a bridge to do this seems like an inability to deal with one's family and what they might have felt about that. Not that it should be their choice, mind you.

Face it, I'm sure there are ways, with as much money as he made, to have done this in a less dramatic, more private fashion.

[nolabear]

14. Easy to say when you don't know what's going on.

I understand what you are saying, but it's not fair. He might have been far more frightened of the disability that leads up to death from brain cancer. He might have been disabled already. Brain cancer might have influenced what he did. You don't know and I don't know. Let him be.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

17. He's gone, nothing can change that....

....but jumping from a bridge puts other people in danger. That's where it becomes a public concern.

[lunatica]

28. What other people did he put in danger?

He jumped into water.

The Golden Gate Bridge is very popular with suicide jumpers and as far as anyone knows the people who jumped off of it never hurt anyone else.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

30. Water rescues are inherently dangerous.

Also, there have been articles written about the psychological effects on the Golden Gate rescuers.

That said, I'm not going to fault this guy. RIP.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

33. People have to pull the bodies out

There is danger there. It's easy not think about it. And sometimes, people for whom "It's not their job" come across them first.

I don't know much about this specific bridge, but I know about the Golden Gate and it's "popularity". There's a documentary about it and it was disturbing to me.

[Comrade_McKenzie]

2. Precisely why euthanasia should be legal. nt

[Hoyt]

8. [phone]

[heaven05]

11. what???

what is wrong with you, euthanasia cuts out doctors, nurses, medical technology , medicines, machine of all and various types, gasoline companies don't get theirs with the numerous trips back and forth to the hospital.. No profit in euthanasia. Just kidding, of course. My choice, if ever I need it.

[Javaman]

20. are you kidding? we live in a society were corporations lack oversight and regulation,

Do you honestly believe that a corporation wouldn't find not only a way to profit from death but also to find ways to make it "sexy" to die?

The movie Soylent Green was optimistic with Edward G. Robertson being euthanized in a peaceful way.

I'll never forget what Mr. Potter said to George Bailey, "Why George, you're worth more dead than alive!"

[heaven05]

24. exactly

although with terminal diseases, we're worth more alive than euthanized. small play on words. I hear you. so true.

[get the red out]

26. Absolutely

Our pets have a right and dignity I fear we will never have in this country. I don't fear dying nearly so much as having some horrific drawn-out, negative quality of life end that only a Conservative Christian could wish on someone.

[Duer 157099]

3. I figured it was something like that

Imagine when people get a treatable diagnosis but do the same thing because they cannot afford the medical care.

I can't fault Scott for doing what he did, under the circumstances.

[RobinA]

6. You'd Fault Him

under different circumstances?

[hamsterjill]

5. Very sad.

My sympathies to his family and friends, and may he rest in peace.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. What dreadful news.

He chose to end it quickly instead of the interminable chemo/radiation/hospitalizations that so many endure in order to live another day...

My deepest condolences to his wife and children. I hope they will understand.

[Macoy51]

31. When my time comes

When my time comes, I hope I have the courage to do what this man did. I would rather go out quickly than to slowly waste away and see my hard earn money spent on pills/treatment that would make my last year on Earth a living hell.

The only thing I would do different would be to make it look like an accident. Having been through the suicide of a loved one, I would never put my family and friends through that. I would rather have them think I died in a dumb ass accident* than to subject them to all the self-doubt and second guessing a suicide of a loved one bring on.


Macoy

* I am thinking some thing involving several 20 year old cheerleaders and a baby pool full of lime Jell-O….. and an albino midget…....

[K8-EEE]

9. I had my cat euthanized last week which was HARD

I remember my dad saying: the great thing about being a cat is that she is not forced to suffer the painful results of her cancer and stroke at her advanced age, like she would be if she was human.

[cr8tvlde]

10. I'm so sorry...lump in throat...at least we get to hold them on their way up to Kitty Heaven n/t

[K8-EEE]

23. Yes and I was so lucky to find a great vet who came to the house

Thank you, I am still not used to it and every shoe that someone leaves on the fireplace or sweater on the couch I initially think it is her there - they become such a strong presence in your life don't they?

So she didn't have to get in the dreaded carrier and go to the dreaded vet office -- she got to stay on the couch on per pillow with her family, a quick shot as a sedative then IV, it was all very peaceful and comfortable. Like my dad says, more humane consideration than most of us will get.

[cr8tvlde]

29. That is really special. At least they let me bring mine in cuddled in a blanket...no carrier. n/t

[dbackjon]

25. Very sorry to hear that

Alex and I had to put our dog Scrappy to sleep a few weeks ago - he had colon cancer. At 12 years, we did not want him to suffer from surgery, chemo or radiation. Once it was apparant he was not himself anymore, and not enjoying life, we made the decision to let him go.

[K8-EEE]

34. Yeah I felt the same way

It's our final way of helping them out. Sorry for your loss dbackjon.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

13. Terrible

A strange way to go.

[LynneSin]

15. I figured it was something terminal

It's a shame he opted to jump off a bridge but in this country what other options do you have. The guy knew he was dying and even though he has all the money in the world, I doubt he wanted to lay around in a bed for months dying.

I had a family friend with pancreatic cancer and they gave her only 6 months to live but said if they gave her treatment she might get another year. At her age (she was in her late 70s) she opted to just enjoy the last 6 months of her life with the aid of some awesome pain killers. It took about 8 months until her body gave out but honestly, I think after 3-4 months she was ready to go.

People like Tony Scott and others who know the end is near should be given better options than to lay in a bed hopped up on highly potent pain killers waiting to die.

[nolabear]

16. How very sad. I hope his family finds peace.

This kind of thing is so personal, and so difficult to fathom, but he did, for whatever reason, what he thought he had to do and I hope his passage was easy.

[hunter]

18. I'd skip suicide, euthenasia, and expensive but futile medical treatments for good drugs.

Why's that not considered a reasonable choice in our society? Why do we have to fear that someone will take away that choice when we are terminally ill and unable to fend for ourselves?

The repugnant puritan ideologies that "drugs that get you high are bad," or that suffering will score you a better place in some afterlife, are responsible for a lot of very painful deaths.

[Proles]

21. Pretty tragic, but I can absolutely sympathize with suicide in these

sort of cases.

I mean, if there's no chance of getting better, what's the point of going through all the pain?

Definitely a reason to have assisted suicide.

[graham4anything]

32. What if there was a cure found tomorrow?

what would his family say, if tomorrow there was a cure? What if there was a simple vaccine that will come to stop this before it starts?

Every major illness (that is now controlable, or one given a vaccine for) in the past has found a cure, from one day to the next.

and he was only 68, not elderly by any means.

btw-they should continue to look into a link between cell phones and brain disease.
Mr. Scott (like many others recently who have died from this from Teddy Kennedy on down)
had a cell phone practically attached.

Let's have more tests, and let's find and fund a cure.

While it appears noble, for those left behind, this is not an honorable way, but a cowardly way.

Too bad the extreme rightwing republicans/libertarians/teaparty billionaires don't spend that wasted billions on politics, and throw it all into finding a cure for all illness

My sympathy to Ridley and the rest of his family and friends.
And lets fund and find a cure to all the many different types of cancer

[riverbendviewgal]

35. My son had an incurable brain tumor

It was the same kind as Ted Kennedy. He was able to have 3 operations, chemo and radiation .

From the time of diagnosis to his death he had 18 months of living. He did the best he could and died fighting it...he was only 26 when he died. I think because his age he tried very hard to live.

There was no worrying about the cost of medical treatments as we live in Canada...There were no bills.

In Tony Scott's case his age and the type of cancer and where it was may have been a factor in why he took his life.


Me, I would choose booze and pills.

[coffeenap]

37. (hugs)

[graham4anything]

36. CORONER AND FAMILY DENY THAT MR. SCOTT HAD INCURABLE ILLNESS...ABC jumped gun

As a regular reader of Nicki Finke's deadline hollywood, I kept wondering why she did not report this on her posts about Mr. Scott.

it turns out, the info might just be another case of ABC bogus reporting, something lately they are doing quite often it appears.

Now I feel triply sad for the family, having to go through even more bad emotions dealing with this tragedy.

Why is the rush for news so important as opposed to GETTING THE STORY STRAIGHT, huh ABC???

Congrats to Nicki Finke for NOT jumping the gun.
And if I want my hollywood headlines I go to deadline.com/hollywood