Desperate

How unnecessary and unspeakably tragic that 84-year-old Ken Fink, a retired teacher and daffodil enthusiast — described by neighbors as sweet and loving — would feel his only resort was to jump to his death from the Santa Barbara courthouse tower.

Was there no one to organize a group of friends, neighbors, and other good samaritans to help him, or to just remove the accumulated debris and clean up his place? No senior citizen social worker to counsel him or lead him to assistance?

I lived in Santa Barbara for many years, but now I live across the country from him in Michigan. I know none of the particulars of Mr. Fink’s case, but his desperate jump to death certainly seems like it could have been prevented had anyone actually acted on their care for Ken.