My boyfriend was the actual conductor who watched all of this happen. He was the one who yelled at the idiot to get off of the tracks and to stop doing what he is doing. He has to live with this sight in his mind for the rest of his life. The guy looked him in the eyes and kept of doing what he was intending on doing in the first place. This is not the first time that someone has jumped in front of a train and sure isn't going to be the last time.

only God can judge

Timsmom69: Everyone has a right to voice his/her opinion. But doing so also opens you up to being criticized by others who do not agree with your opinion.

angry.

I feel empathy for the man in this situation. He obviously has some REAL issues or he wouldn't have done what he did. You wouldn't be giving someone that had committed suicide in the privacy of their own home no problems, so just cause he tried it in the public eye, should verify that fact that he really needs help. I actually went past this before I knew what was going on and already knew that something terrible had happened. I hope that if he survives, he will seek that help that he needs and people will kepp a better eye on him.

I do believe mental illness exists. However, not everyone who is mentally ill commits violent crimes. And I don't believe everyone who's ever been told they're mentally ill actually is. Doctors slap this diagnosis around far too much. Isn't depression considered a mental illness? If I had a dime for every person I know who's been told by their doctor that they're clinically depressed, I'd make the Forbes' Top 20. I do agree with OkieFed about one thing...Everyone who commits a violent crime is obviously mentally ill. These people should be punished, whether it be prison or a mental institution. But first, I think they need to stop prosecuting people for non-violent victimless crimes. Maybe then we'd have the room.

intheloop - so people with sick bodies are OK, but people with sick minds are not. I hope you or anyone in your family never needs any empathy for a mental illness.

the people getting chemo are not the ones pounding on grandma with a hammer.

I am appalled at the lack of understanding for individuals with mental illness and their families. Mental illness is every bit an illness just like cancer. Would any of you dare to speak of people suffering from cancer the same way you talk about people with mental illness? No wonder people who struggle with these diseases are reluctant to get help if they are going to be stigmatized in this way.

Would you tell someone who tried chemo or radiation that didn't work that they are a drain on your medical insurance because sick people drive up everyone's costs? Shame, shame shame on you.

Okiefed-AMEN to that. I agree 100% and you said it perfectly!

timsmom- I believe your extreme narcissim could be be considered a mental disorder. It is a human trait that most people posess,(not you obviously),to want to take care of someone who is ill. Do some people get away with just using it as an excuse? Yes, but the majority of people who claim mental disorder have one.

Timsmom69: You are embarrassing your son.

It has been four years since he attacked his grandmother and now he is out disturbing the peace and trying to kill himself in some off the wall fashion. He has had that amount of time for all this so called treatment and medication to take affect, apparently they are not working. It is time he is removed from the streets before he ends up actually killing himself or somebody else.

beentheredonethat-this being America...pretty sure no one on this blog has to "zip it".

Why does the Gazette feel the need to plaster this person's name and address all over this story? I don't know the individual or his family, but this sounds like a personal tragedy and a private matter. Mental illness can affect every family, and it is sad that the Gazette again feels the need to publicly disclose someone's identity in their moment of despair. Can't you just for once report on a story without giving a name and address? It's disgraceful and shows a lack of respect for people in this community.

Timsmom and mymaro, until you get a clue about mental illness, ZIP IT!

timsmom69: I have to believe you work in a cubicle. Enough said.

Well said grasshopper!

timsmom69 and other uninformed commentors - Ignorance is bliss. Obviously you are all uneducated on mental illness. Your lack of acceptance and understanding will carry on to your children. A whole new kind of prejudice. What a wonderful legacy for "Tim." I would not want even my own child to be out wandering around if I knew he were a danger to the public. However, with appropriate treatment and an ounce of understanding this can usually be avoided. Mental illness is only an excuse for crimes because of people who want to make a quick buck off that or need an excuse for their crime. In a perfect world there would be no mental illness and this excuse could be thrown out. However, it is not a perfect world. Criminals who get away with this excuse make it difficult for those who are actually affected with mental illness. Do you honestly think Andy chose to have this life. The truth is some people are actually affected by mental illness. In bipolar disorder, particularly, the patient has highs and lows of mood, with no control over their emotions while riding this rollercoaster. There are medications to help stabilize the mood; however, many patients are misdiagnosed for years. I hope those of you who are commenting and have never been affected by mental illness in your family realize how truly blessed you are to have "normal" children. Oh what it must be like to live in your "perfect world."

So are we just going to kill the schizophrenics or should we eliminate the bipolars and the manic depressives as well. What the heck, lets kill them all just to be safe.

I clearly wrote that this guy needs intense treatment for his illness. I never said he needed a hug. Since I've lost someone to suicide/mental illness, I've extensively researched these things and know what makes these people tick. Mental illness is overlooked all the time and has been for years. These people need help, and people like you don't take it seriously and then wonder why they commit crimes. You need to stop being so small-minded and maybe look into Asperger syndrome and suicide. If you are so concerned about them committing crimes, find out how you can make a difference. Every time you flap your gums, your ignorance oozes. I hope "Tim" never ends up with a mental illness. The poor kid will be rejected by his own mom because he's a "crazy."

timsmom69- You are exactly right. In fact you have been elected to decide which "craizies" should die and which ones should live. You start Monday at 8:00.

timsmom69: I'm sure you'd feel the same way if this was your son, right? You really ought to think before you speak (write). You are obviously mom to "Tim" so maybe think about if "Tim" had a mental illness and stepped in front of a train to end his life because he thinks life is so terrible that it will never get better. Not so funny now, is it?

I agree with you--they should be punished. Unfortunately, they slip through the cracks because of people thinking like you and not taking their illness seriously. There may be more to this in legal terms that we don't know about (regarding the incident with his grandmother). On that note, you should know that when and if this guy makes it out of the hospital, he has to go in front of a judge. He committed a crime because suicide attempts are illegal. So there is the possibility that he will be committed as an inpatient somewhere. He obviously needs more intense treatment.

mymaro: Mental illness is an excuse. How many sane people lie down in front of a moving train? Society is so quick to judge people with mental illnesses. Unless you've dealt with someone with a mental illness and their thoughts of suicide, you have no idea what it's like. A person wanting to commit suicide has a completely different thought process from everyone else. To those wondering why he didn't pick a faster train, he wasn't thinking that way. He wanted to end his pain right then and there. People with that "insanity" don't see the light at the end of the tunnel. The problem is that people with mental illnesses are not "coddled and forgiven" (as you put it) and are denied the treatment they really need. This man should have had extensive INPATIENT treatment after the incident with his grandmother.

cowcatchers are common and still installed on new trains to this day, the term "cowcatcher" dates back a while but The metal grille or frame projecting from the front of a locomotive and serving to clear the track of obstructions. They are actually required to be installed for most railways companies, far from out of date.

I've been around railroads all my life and nothing is more difficult for a train crew to face than a suicide attempt like this. It makes it real difficult for an engineer and conductor to come back to work (some don't). Of course this persons stupid actions will probably end up in court and the engineer and conductor will have to explain why they hit this idiot.
Now if someone could explain what a "cowcatcher" is and maybe tell the reporter? Those went out of style around WWII and anything that had one was gone by the 1950's.

I pray for him and hope he finds peace within to battle his illness and hope he recovers and gets help. My prayers to him and his family

You can never understand anyone until you walk in their shoes. Many glass houses will shatter after some of the comments in here. KARMA

grasshopper, yeah, "This man was once someone's little boy". Until he took a claw hamer to his mom's cranium. If this guy was really sick, he would have been in an institution.

My boyfriend was the conductor and he is pretty shooken up. He even went up to the man to see if he had a pulse. God 5mph if you wanted to kill yourself wouldnt you want to do it fast and get it over with. Not slow and pain ful gosh. I feel so bad for my bf something you don't want to see happen when your working exspecilay right in front of you.

I work at the JVL mall and Andy would come up there every morning with his grandmother and sit and do his needle craft. the place i work in serves the coffee for the mall walkers and he would come there also. Sure ppl would think he is strange, and i have to admit i have gotten into a few tiffs with him . Because his disorders would make him more argumentive with ppl. My heart does go out to his family, even though we had tiffs i wouldn't wish harm on anyone. So find it in your hearts not to Slam him for doing what he did and have some compassion

Spark, thats desperation not selfishness.

bubbavoo- If a person wants to kill his or her self, I doubt they stop to think how someone else would feel? That describes selfish right there.

Grasshopper- You might have missed this part of the article then. "In November of 2004, Lubeck attacked his grandmother with a claw hammer after she refused to write him a $500 check. The attack resulted in skull fractures and a broken arm that put his grandmother into the hospital, according to Janesville Gazette archives" It seems that he is a danger to the public.

It is sad that in today's world someone like that lives in a society that no one sees the pain, but after the fact, sure find it easy to condem them. Live inside their heads for one day, then say they are selfish. If a person wants to kill his or her self, I doubt they stop to think how someone else would feel. They want to stop the pain.

leostime36 - Has anyone close to you ever been affected by a mental disorder? From the sounds of things I seriously doubt it. This man was once someone's little boy. I have a child with bipolar disorder. I hope his problems never progress to this point, but it is certainly possible that once he is an adult and on his own he may not be able to always make the best decisions for himself. I, however, would not consider him a danger to the public. If someone's mental condition is a danger to the public I would of course be concerned. You said you are tired of these people costing the taxpayers money. He obviously has a mental condition, one that he did not ask to have. The people I am sick of costing the taxpayers money are the mothers collecting welfare who are capable of getting a job and who obviously have the ability to remedy their situation, i.e. abstinence. He cannot help his condition and was probably born with it. I would rather he get the help he needs.

I hope the man makes it and is able to obtain the right kind of help. Leostime36 and Woodsman: Your lack of empathy for the man is very sad. I feel for both of you.

Localboy-HaHa I'm sure this conductor has never seen anyone get out of their car and lay on the tracks in an attempt at suicide! I am quite sure he will be shaken up for a while.

With his past, I am glad he didn't decide to take someone with him before he tried to off himself. Now taxpayers can spend some more money on him...his healthcare, etc.

What a horrible tragedy. If he survives his injuries, I hope he gets more intensive therapy than he was receiving.

Let's play a game. You name one thing you've done that's unselfish, and I or others will try to tell you how it really was.

hannah - the person is sick. I am sure he wasn't thinking about others when he did what he did. He probably only wanted to end the pain. I am sure the conductor will be just fine, as he probably has seen it all being on a train. We are a reality society, so not much bothers anybody anymore what they see.

Jeeez... A train really? I'm not condoning suicide or anything but there has got to be a better way than a train moving at only five miles an hour.......

Note to self: if you want to commit suicide by train, pick one that's going faster then 5 MPH

When you decide to lay down in front of a train, I'm pretty sure the idea of feeling a little selfish doesn't cross your mind.

Sounds like everyone around him was in fear,from the unknown,from his actions. Maybe,if their lucky,these victims can finally be rid of this nightmare!!

Not only the conductor but also the witnesses that seen it. As for selfish it sounds more like mental disorders.