close
close

Larissa Brady’s fall from Ohio Stadium during OSU graduation ruled a suicide

Larissa Brady’s fall from Ohio Stadium during OSU graduation ruled a suicide

The mother who jumped to her death during her daughter’s graduation ceremony at Ohio State University in May has sent a chilling final message before committing her final act.

Larissa Brady, 53, surprised the graduate as she entered Ohio Stadium to tell her “she loved her and would always be her mother,” according to an autopsy report obtained by PEOPLE Thursday.

The Georgia mother then scaled the stadium’s concrete wall near the bell tower and jumped, the coroner’s office said.

Larissa Brady’s death has been ruled a suicide, according to an autopsy report. Bernhardt Funeral Home

Brady died from multiple blunt force injuries, the report said. After months of speculation, investigators officially ruled it a suicide.

According to the coroner’s report, the mother had a history of bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder and anxiety.

Brady had “previously made two suicide attempts,” including one earlier this year, and had stopped taking her medication at the time, her husband told investigators.

It is unclear whether the troubled mother went to the ceremony with the intention of committing suicide. According to an obituary published in May, the mother of two was an avid traveler and gardener who “enjoyed the diversity and natural beauty that nature had to offer.”

Brady told her daughter “she loved her and she would always be her mother” just before the tragedy. Columbus Dispatch – USA TODAY NETWORK

“She loved her family and children passionately and was extremely protective of them like a mother bear,” her loved ones wrote.

Authorities previously reported that the mother of two entered Ohio Stadium with her husband and 12-year-old son to sit and watch the ceremony.

The family had chatted with their daughter moments before finding their seats. The rest of the graduating class was still entering the stadium when Brady became separated from her family members, the coroner’s office said.

The ceremony at Ohio State University continued without any mention of the tragedy. Columbus Dispatch – USA TODAY NETWORK

Brady told her family she wanted to go higher in the stadium.

Witnesses saw the mother walk to the last row of benches and climb over the concrete walls, falling about 150 feet to her death. Brady was pronounced dead at the scene.

The graduation ceremony, which featured a viral speech from social entrepreneur and OSU alumnus Chris Pan, made no mention of the tragedy.

It is unclear whether Brady’s daughter was aware of her mother’s death before she took the stage.

At the end of the ceremony, the new graduates reportedly marched past the scene of the tragedy, which was still cordoned off with yellow police tape.

If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988 or visit SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.