Why do you think he did it? (Just give it a try.)

[Cevadeva]

I think that he did it, because of the life he had before. He didn't see as a way to suicide but just because it was the right thing to do. I think he thought 'This woman needs help, I have to help her.' It wasn't as his own escape, it was just to help another person. It just happened that he died while helping out that woman. It was just an act of random, and also very great, kindness.  

[E M T T]

Ok let's see.. I think he did it to save the woman, but in the process of doing so he managed to get shot. I believe maybe if he did not have the courage to take his own life, he most likely would not have been thinking in that split second "heres a way out of it". Either way you think about it, it's a very interesting and thought provoking question.  

[Mama Ame]

This is kind of hard when you think about it. The man was probably not thinking of himself when he went to save the woman.He heard her screaming, and his adreneline kicked in. Didn't it say in the first post that he was a courteous person who liked to help people?

However perhaps subconciously he was hoping that the crook had a gun and would shoot him? That would be my guess.  

[DvnT]

I think, if this had happened earlier in his life, he would have done the same thing for one purpose and one reason only: His heart of 'gold'.

Now, because he had nothing, his 'heart of gold' became flimsy and weak. He obviously did this for the reason of helping the woman, but he did it too couragously to not consider the fact he thought it made his situation all the better to die also.

He acted on habit, made stronger because of his willingness to die.

----OR----

In that split second that we dont know what he thought, he remembered his wife and children clearly. Remembered that they died, and how it effected the one left behind. He remembered all this, and -wether pushed by the thoughts of suicide or thoughts of helping- did not help the woman at all.
Is it possible that he helped the man that would be in his situation when this ma'am died.

 

[Toy Muffin]

I believe he saw it as a call for help and wanted to help that lady. On the second hand he also probably thought he had nothing to lose so he might as well sacrifice himself to this cause.  

[mtkamekazi13]

Well this is my first post in the forums so I'll try to make it a good one.
First think of where he came from. If he had everything and life was easy for him it would probably have made him vulnerable emotionally. Therefore when he lost his wife and kids it was too much mental stress leading to his downfall. But humans have habits and it's hard for us to get rid of those habits. If he always put himself before others he had a wish to protect people. This became second nature to him. The thoughts of suicide weren't there from the start. Thusly the urge to protect was stronger than the urge to kill himself. He most likely missed the feeling of showing kindness and protection. So here's what I think. Due to his vulnerability emotionally. When he saw the woman in trouble he thought with his emotions and not really with reason since his emotions were the stronger drive. Once he had started confronting the burgler. From there it was just habit.  

[KamikazeSkies]

kame121

Well this is my first post in the forums so I'll try to make it a good one.
First think of where he came from. If he had everything and life was easy for him it would probably have made him vulnerable emotionally. Therefore when he lost his wife and kids it was too much mental stress leading to his downfall. But humans have habits and it's hard for us to get rid of those habits. If he always put himself before others he had a wish to protect people. This became second nature to him. The thoughts of suicide weren't there from the start. Thusly the urge to protect was stronger than the urge to kill himself. He most likely missed the feeling of showing kindness and protection. So here's what I think. Due to his vulnerability emotionally. When he saw the woman in trouble he thought with his emotions and not really with reason since his emotions were the stronger drive. Once he had started confronting the burgler. From there it was just habit.

I like this guy.  

[wilkus]

wasn't it for the greater good? [or the "why not" thingy]
if he dies, nothing happens. in fact, he wanted it. this was not suicide, but it gave sense to his death. and the woman was helped.
if he didn't do it, the burglar with take the womans things and he'll be still on this world not wanting to. [sorry for my english >.<]  

[amateurCatalyst]

Why not both? Like killing two birds with one shot. Well, I voted he did it to save the woman, but he could think of doing it to sacrifice himself in the process. There's always the third option, the old and dear "both".  

[N K Cake]

KamikazeSkies

DISCLAIMER: This involves some violence, but only what's necessary to get the question across clearly.

There's a man, mid-30s. A very successful man, he is. Beautiful wife, three model kids, and a job raking in $125,000 a year. Anything and everything he wants, he has. Not to mention a heart of gold, where he would put anyone's well-being in front of his own.

One day, his world crashes. His wife and three children get killed in a car accident on the way home from school. The man loses sight of who he is, and also his mind, soon resulting in the loss of his job.

Living a life way below the American average, the man contemplates suicide. He tries, but never can get the courage to finish himself. He instead grows weaker and weaker while the thoughts get stronger.

While walking through the city, he hears a scream from a nearby alley. A woman is being robbed by a crook at gunpoint. Now the man thinks to himself for a split second. What he thinks, that part is unknown. But as a result of that thought, he runs and confronts the crook. This gives the woman a chance to escape, but at the cost of his own life.

The man is shot within seconds.

...But don't forget, this man had constant thoughts of suicide, but couldn't bring himself to do it.

So now the man is dead.
But what were his reasons for confronting the gunman?
- Did he see an opportunity to save someone else's life from being shattered like his own?
OR
- Did he simply see it as a way to die without having to do it himself?


This has no definate answer, it's all in the way you view things.
Take a second to think about it fully.
Remember:
- The man lost everything he had.
- The thoughts kept getting stronger.
- He put anyone before him.
- All of his thoughts, except the ones of suicide, are unknown.

This is a question that I personally thought of, be courteous and don't post it for yourself without giving me credit of some sort, or at least asking.
Please, only intelligent answers.

Acrtually, does anyone think the man really realised that he would get killed right there if he went? If you see someoen robberd, you dont see it as a chance to die do you? I guess he could've in a way though... at the sight of the gun, etc. but not sure, well I'd say it's more of a rush to a dangerous scene out of instinct.  

[Antiq]

I would say that his thought was "I have nothing to lose, might as well help someone else" biggrin  

[-Less than Graceful-]

I think in a circumstance such as that the true personality of a person shines through. He was kind and put people before himself and when he saw that woman that part of him came back to strength and he saved her because under the depression and poverty he still had a loving heart of gold.  

[Musik des Mondes]

During his rich, happy time of life, he was softened and not used anything all that traumatic. When his wife and children got killed, it was too shocking for him. When he saved the woman, his old self shone through. When he heard the scream, his heart of gold kicked in, and the rush and sense of urgency clouded his thoughts of suicide for a brief moment.