R.I.P. Writer Ned Vizzini

It’s always tragic when lives are cut way too short. Writer/author Ned Vizzini was only 32. He died yesterday in New York by suicide, leaving behind a wife and a young son. Vizzini’s third book, the 2006 semi-autobiographical It’s Kind Of A Funny Story, which was adapted as a 2010 movie co-starring Zach Galifianakis, dealt with depression and centered on a teenager driven to suicide attempts by the pressures of high school. Vizzini had a promising TV career and was a staff writer on NBC’s upcoming Alfonso Cuaron/J.J. Abrams drama series Believe at the time of his death, which came during the series’ hiatus. His colleagues are said to be devastated by the news. “We are incredibly saddened at the loss of our dear friend and colleague Ned Vizzini,” Cuaron and Abrams’ Bad Robot said. “On behalf of everyone in the Believe family, we offer our deepest condolences and heartfelt best wishes to his friends and family, especially his wife and son, at this most challenging of times.” Vizzini previously worked on MTV’s Teen Wolf and ABC’s The Last Resort. “Devastated to report that Last Resort (and many other things) writer @ned_vizzini has passed away,” Last Resort executive producer Shawn Ryan wrote on Twitter. “He had a way of making me smile.” Vizzini’s other books included young adult novels Be More Chill and The Other Normals; essay collection Teen Angst? Naah and middle-grade series House Of Secrets and an upcoming sequel, co-written with director Chris Columbus.