Stanley Kotowski was on a family vacation in South Carolina when he suddenly went missing. Ten days later, Kotowski was found dead underneath the townhouses at the Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island. Per PEOPLE, a cause of death has been revealed in the wake of Kotowski's death.
David Ott, a coroner, conducted an autopsy confirming suicide via asphyxiation by hanging. "We estimate the day of death is the day he went missing," Ott confirmed in a press release. Reportedly, Kotowski left the family's vacation rental on August 16 without his shoes, phone, or driver's license. His wife, Jackie Kotowski, spoke to WJCL 22 News about Stanley's frame of mind at the time.
"He just walked out the door. He had really bad insomnia for about a month. [Stanley] doesn't have dementia. His anxiety just kept getting worse and worse and worse and he started to get a little paranoid," Jackie said. A later report would state that Stanley had been fearful the resort they were staying at was "set up" as a conspiracy. He believed people were "out to get him."
Before he left, Jackie recalled Stanley saying to her, "Promise me you will go on without me."
A Cause Of Death Is Disclosed For Stanley Kotowski, Who Died During A Vacation
A heartfelt Facebook post gained traction shortly after Stanley's passing. "This was a man, a seemingly physically healthy man, and only 60 years old at that. The part that hurts the most is that what would normally be considered the unlikeliest of victims, it reminds us that the mental health issues burdening today's humans is alarming to say the least. I can't even imagine the final days of Stanley's life and the frightening level of fear, anxiety, and helplessness that he must have been feeling in his final hours. It's gut-wrenching to think about," the post states.
"People need one another these days. We have become so disconnected from our neighbors in the community because of the busyness of life and how little time we have to check up on those around us. It's probably much more serious than we all think. And today was proof of that. R. I. P. Stanley... I'm so sorry mankind let you down today."
If you (or a loved one) are battling suicidal thoughts, call the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
