Marie Osmond's teenage son Michael Blosil commits suicide

By Caroline Graham, Mail on Sunday LA Correspondent and Emily Sheridan
Created: 14:46 EDT, 27 February 2010

Marie Osmond was said to be 'devastated and in pieces' last night after her troubled adopted son Michael committed suicide

Singer Marie Osmond was said to be ‘devastated and in pieces’ last night after her troubled adopted son committed suicide by jumping from the roof of his Los Angeles apartment.

Michael Blosil, 18, left a suicide note for his family saying he had decided to end his life because of the ‘torment’ of his long battle against depression and drug and alcohol abuse.

The note was also reported to contain the words: ‘I feel like I have no friends and will never fit in.’

A police source said Blosil, who had been adopted as a baby by Osmond and her ex-husband Brian, jumped off the roof of the ten-storey apartment block in central LA where he rented a £1,500-a-month flat.

The mother-of-eight, 50, released a statement confirming her loss and appealed for privacy.

In a statement, Marie said: 'My family and I are devastated and in deep shock by the tragic loss of our dear Michael and ask that everyone respect our privacy during this difficult time.'

The suicide note was believed to have said Michael intended to lose his life after a long battle with depression, feeling like he had no friends and did not fit in.

Marie has cancelled tonight's performance at the Flamingo Hotel in New York, where she has a residence with brother Donny.

A hotel representative said it was currently unknown how long Marie's hiatus from the show would last.

Her brother Donny told ET: 'Please pray for my sister and her family.'

Marie's nephew David Osmond - son of the eldest Osmonds bandmember Alan - wrote on his Twitter page: 'My heart bleeds for my Aunt today. Life is precious. Love is all.'

Tragedy: Michael (pictured in the front when he was seven) with his mother Marie and brothers Stephen (left) and Brandon in 1999

An eyewitness who drove past the scene as paramedics arrived described events to U.S. website RadarOnline.

Tragedy: Marie Osmond is grieving after her son Michael committed suicide

'I saw four firemen standing here and they had a sheet held up,' said Makenzie Arnone.

'There was caution tape all along the building here.'

A source also told the website how the emergency call reporting Michael's suicide came at 9.26pm on Friday.

'It was categorised as an "extreme fall",' the source said.

'Four units from the fire department were dispatched including a battalion chief, supervising paramedic unit, a fire truck and a paramedic unit. 

'Once they arrived, they worked in coordination with the LAPD and the coroner's field investigator.'

In November 2007, when he just 16, Michael entered a rehab facility.

At the time, Marie said: 'My son Michael is an amazing young man, shown through his courage in facing his issues. As his mother, I couldn’t be more proud of him.'

In an interview with American magazine People in 2007, Marie's long-time friend Lisa Hatch described Michael as a 'very quiet kid' who played the drums on his mother's Christmas 2006 tour.

Views of the building in downtown Los Angeles where Marie Osmond's son is believed to have jumped to his death

It was thought he was overcoming his troubles after he successfully graduated from high school last year in Las Vegas.

Last March, Marie said: 'I couldn't be more proud of him. He's got a 3.9 GPA in high school. He's looking at scholarships to some wonderful colleges.'

A source close to Marie, 50, who has enjoyed a resurgence in her career thanks to an appearance on the US show Dancing With The Stars, said: ‘She is in pieces. She is as devastated as you can imagine.

'She did everything she could to help Michael but sometimes everything is not enough.’

The singer split from Michael's father Brian in 2007 after 20 years of marriage.

On hold: Marie and her brother Donny cancelled last night's concert in Las Vegas

She admitted her marriage split had been difficult for Michael: 'Those kinds of things are really very hard for a teenager to deal with.'

Marie is also mother to three biological children Stephen, Rachael and Lauren and four remaining adopted children Jessica, Brandon, Brianna and Abigail.

The Osmonds, a tight-knit Mormon family who donate ten per cent of their earnings to the Mormon Church, found fame singing together in the Seventies with hits such as Paper Roses and Crazy Horses.

Together with Marie’s brothers Virl, Tom, Alan, Wayne, Merrill, Jay, Donny and baby brother Jimmy, the family built up an estimated £50million fortune.