Close friend of Marie Osmond's son, Michael Bryan (Blosil) says he was not gay.
Ruthann Clawson was Michael Bryan's neighbor and closest friend. (As previously reported, Blosil had legally changed his last name from Blosil to Bryan.)
Bryan's suicide note was directed to Clawson. He texted her to tell her to look for the note on his bed. She read the note and then heard heard sirens outside. He had jumped from his Los Angeles apartment building.
As previously reported, Roseanne Barr is blasting the Mormon church because she claims that the Church's teachings on gays helped contribute to Bryan's suicide. The Mormon church came under intense criticism in California following its work against gay marriage in the 2008 Proposition 8 campaign.
But in response to questions from this reporter, Clawson responded by e-mall:
"All I would like to say, is that Michael Bryan was NOT homosexual. I can tell you that 100% for sure. It bothers me that people make assumptions when they know nothing of the situation or the person. That's all I feel comfortable enough to say.
Thanks, Ruthann.
And in direct response to Barr's blog, Clawson wrote:
"If she were to write that article, she should not relate it back to him. Michael shouldn't have anything to do with a discussion about Mormonism and being gay."
In the video below, Bryan's roommate, Sean Srnik, told Entertainment Tonight that Clawson was Bryan's closest friend. He said that the second half of his suicide note was directed to her.
Srnik said: "The note described basically how he was doing his very last shower, his last cigarette and everything. The other half was toward Ruthann, about how he's the closest one with her here and how she's the one he can really tell this to. And he went on to talk about how he hopes she has a great life."
Bryan, 18, had been in rehab when he was 16 for substance abuse. But Srnik said he was clean in all the time he knew Bryan.
Srnik told ET that Bryan's suicide was uncharacteristic of the man he knew: "He is probably the funniest most happy guy I have ever met in my whole life. It is something I would never expect from somebody like this."
Comments
Very sad, it was such a waste of life no matter how you look at it and with all the money the family had, I'm sure the cost of getting him help would not have been an issue. Am very sad for all the family and friends.
And I'm sad for your crippling moronic stupidity and inability to realize that you probably need more help than he ever will. Don't contemplate how much his "help" will cost. The receipts for your therapy is probably amounts to more than what you and your entire extended family will make in your entire miserable lives.
*receipts for your therapy probably amounts to
How awful, that during this incredibly difficult time for all involved, someone would be so insensitive, as to come out with an inaccurate statement as Ms. Barr has chosen to do. I sincerely hope that this tragedy can be overcome with the loving support that Bryan's family and friends so rightfully deserve.
After his actions, I am 100 percent sure that Michael Bryan did not want to be gay.
I'm a little flummoxed by the idea that someone could pretend to know something 100% about someone and not know he would kill himself. Sounds a bit like denial.
You'll believe a total stranger to Michael (Roseanne Barr) before you'll believe his best friend?! None of you (including the media) knows him, his life, his friends, his family. It seems you all only want to slander people. Rosanne Barr has always been anti-Mormon and is only looking for publicity for herself.
Ok folks, I don't mean to stereotype but let's be real. The guy was in fashion school, his best friend is a girl - etc. I bet she is Mormon or very conservative too and just wants to help by defending him. Another fact: the Mormon church is extremely hateful to gay people. He may have told everyone is his life, I'm NOT gay!, but in the end it is likely he was and did not know how to process because of his family. Barr was wrong to go after the family so soon but the church is an extremely bigoted and racist org and they should have to answer for their irrational, damaging positions on issues.
One last thing- ever notice hoe forgiving Utah prosecutors are to the debauchery down in Colorado City (polygamists), but soooo upset by Gays. It seems like Mormons are more comfortable with the institutionalized rape of little girls than what GL people do in the privacy of their homes. Only time and the next generation will fix this - just like the churches position on black People.
You are completely wrong! Mike was not gay and that is a fact not a speculation! His family are not against gays, Marie's daughter is gay and she accepts her and loves her very much. They are a close knit family and gayness did not sepearte them in any form! The Mormons are not unlike any other religion concerning gays. The Bible, which is God's word, says it is a sin, an abomination in His sight. Sex outside of marriage is wrong period be it straight or gay. Marie has always said, as the church does, that it is between the person and God and no one else. You are spreading falsehoods about this family and their church!
@Sheena: LMAO @ "The Mormons are not unlike any other religion concerning gays". Of course not. They're the only religions obsessed enough with gays to spend more than 75% of the proceeds from the church on Prop 8. No other religion is as pressed as the mormons when it comes to the bedroom anxiety.
*religion
My heart goes out to Michael's friends and family. Obviously, Ms. Barr is trying to rejunivate her career and doesn't understand the LDS church. Mormons do not hate gays, and anyone that believes that does not understand the LDS church. Michael's family was supportive of him, no matter the decisions he made. I am sure his lifestyle was a non-isuue with his family, whether gay or straight, as his sister is gay.
Yes, mormons hate gays. FACT. Unless you're living in the twilight zone.
How come everyone seems to think they can speculate or know so much. Marie loved him straight or gay. That's what mother's do!
She loves her gay daughter - why would she be any different with this son?
If his best, very best, friend is a girl--a real looker, sweet, and he's got a date with her that night--why the hell would he jump off an 8th floor balcony--leaving her a note to have a good life (don't jump after me) if he's 100% hetero? Wouldn't he just stick around to see her? Look forward to what might happen next, in their relationship? If he's dreading it, and doesn't know how to tell her, and hasn't yet told her--but suicide seems preferable to telling her--sounds gay to me. Another gay Mormon suicide. How many others have there been? Check out the website of Affirmation(Gay and Lesbian Mormons); they have a page on suicides. A guy whose "closest friend" is a woman, who doesn't know he's gay, insists he's 100% hetero, is a guy who's terribly isolated. Depression doesn't just "biologically" lead to suicide. People who are depressed but have someone to talk to, don't jump off the 8th floor balcony. This kid had no one to talk to. You can see why.
No, Mormons don't hate gays, they just won't allow them in their church and tell them they are going to hell.
If a gay couple wanted to join the Mormon church they would not be allowed to do so. If you come out and you are Mormon you are excommunicated. No, Mormons don't hate gays, they just know they are going to hell.
Imagine if Marie's son was gay. How would you like to grow up being told you are going to hell and you are not good enough to be in the church your family believes in.
Please, do not insult us by saying Mormons don't "hate" gays. The Church's actions and excommunications speak louder than words.
@ the truth:
If you are going to give yourself such a moniker, how about telling the truth...?
1) Mormons do not hate gays. You were correct here and then stopped.
2) Yes you can be gay and be a Mormon. There is at least one gay man in my ward that I know about. The bishop is completely aware of his orientation. He is celibate. I know another celibate lesbian Mormon in another ward. I am sure this is a very difficult lifestyle, but no more difficult than the lives of many other people who have remained unmarried throughout their lives.
3) Mormons do not teach that gays are going to hell. Mormons do not even believe in hell, at least as you are likely defining it (eternal suffering in fire and brimstone).
4) The Mormon Church supports civil unions for Non-Mormon gay couples.
If your going to "claim" truthfulness, how about not spewing complete and utter bullsh*t?
1. YES they do. They donated MORE than 75% of the proceeds that went towards prop 8. They consistently spew anti-gay rhetoric. They are the LEADING contributors towards the anti-gay movement. Evergreen is one of the leading ex-gay organizations - and guess what - it's a MORMON organization.
2. And how do you explain the hundreds of other gay ex-mormons who were excommunicated? Hmm? There's testimonials to prove this. You, on the other hand, have merely anecdotal evidence.
3. Semantics.
4. Uh...right. Please grow a brain cell and educate yourself. "Nuff said. I swear I'm not even mormon and I know more about it than you do. Sad.
@ Caroline:
I grew up in the Mormon church, went to BYU, served a 2 year mission and then taught for 2 years in the Missionary Training Center before finally coming out to my family and closest friends at age 24. NO ONE in my life knew I was gay except my Mission President. When he called me to be his Assistant I felt unworthy to accept, so I told him before accepting.
Let me assure you, no matter how many ex girlfriends Michael talked about or how many girls he supposedly expressed interest in, I did too, and the feelings he expressed in his suicide note sound exactly like me at age 18. His best friends may think for sure Michael wasn't gay, but they don't know any more than mine did at 18. To them, I too seemed like 'the happiest person' they ever knew. But growing up closeted in the Mormon church is a dark, lonely experience. You can't tell anyone or you risk your whole future being destroyed. To 'be at peace' and not disappoint family & friends, I too considered suicide ofte
@ Caroline:
Furthermore, in my senior year at BYU someone I knew confessed that I was gay, and BYU kicked me out. They gave me 3 days to move out of my housing. They made me undergo 1 year of 'reparative therapy' in order to get back in and finish my education, read me lists of names and asked me to identify other gay BYU students. After a grueling year, they let me back in only then threatening that if I went 'back' to being gay within 5 years post-graduation they would rescind my diploma. So I finally left and transfered to a UC school. Years of credits wouldn't transfer, setting me back $30,000 and 3 years. In my search to find a gay roommate, I told one prospect my story, and he burst into tears as he told me that his boyfriend, 'the love of his life', was kicked out of BYU before transferring as I had, and then was rejected by his family in OC for being gay. He committed suicide. So here's some truth for you: Mormons hate gay people. They systematically destroy our lives.
Let's see. An "inside source" that won't be named versus the person on his suicide note who gives her name and is willing to stand up for his memory. Being outed after he's dead so he can't set the record straight, a family who already has accepted and supported gay rights for their lesbian daughter, and then good old Rosie deciding to "out" him even though she never KNEW him, painting him as gay why? Because he was into fashion design and committed suicide? Talk about stereotyping.
If Rosanne Barr wants to complain about Mormons, and she does, she should just complain instead of dragging someone's memory and name into it that has nothing to do with it. There are plenty of ex-mormons, Affirmation members, and gay members who are willing to be the martyr. Using this suicide to get her name in the papers again with no concern to the family or friends and their heartache shows just what sort of a person she is. Disgusting.
My heart goes out to the Osmonds.
Kurt hits it on the head--his best and closest friend reportedly thought he was one of the happiest people she knew! If he could hide his true feelings from her that well, how much more would he hide something like being gay. Happy people don't jump to their deaths, leaving notes about not being able to "fit in" with the rest of the world. It might all be speculation about his sexual orientation, but the "oh how happy he was" business is pure smokescreen.
These stereotypes are sickening. No one knows anything, but everyone would like to think that they do. If something like this happened to someone you were close to, you would be completely destroyed by the things people choose to say. I wish that everyone could stop trying to make this into a conspiracy and believing completely random rumors from completely random people and take it for what it is. Something unexpected, heartbreaking, and tragic. His friends and family are left to deal with the loss. That is enough to deal with without having people write such awful things.
Why would it even matter if he were gay? Unless it WAS a problem for them.
Michael Bryan was gay. He was ashamed and could not live a lie. My son was gay and I was
the only one who could see it. He too was living a lie. He shot himself in the head with a
9 mm hand gun and I found his body in his room. Stupid Mormons take off your blinders
and you might be surprised what you see.
MormonsareterribleIdon'tcarewhatanyonesays.Oneoftheirsocalledbeliefsistobetolerantofallotherreligions.TolerantdenotesthatyoualreadythinkyouarebetterandMormonsthinkthattheyarebetterthananyotherreligion.Anotherso-calledbeliefoftheircultisthatallbeingsarefromGodshouldbeloved.Everyonethatis,aslongastheyareheterosexual.Theywouldsaythataqueerissickandmisguidedtothepointthattheywouldprefertheirownwomenbemarriedtosomeonewhoisactuallygayandthatisjustsick.Additionally,theyarejustphoneybaloney--theMormoncouplethatliveinmycomplexaren'tevenhonesttoeachotherandIknowthisforafact.Mormonsareobligatedtotitheandlet'sfaceit--themorenewMormonbabiesthatarecreated;themoretithingmoneyiscreated.Thatispartoftheirbasisoftheiranti-gaybeliefs.It'salsothereasonwhyalloftheirfemalecultmembersareusuallypregnant.Ialsobelievethattheirhistoryisquestionable--somethingaboutJoeSmith'spropheciesweredis-proven--butI'mnotcompletelysure.IknowthisbecauseIentertainedafewphonecallsfrom2MormonmissionariesinanefforttobetterunderstandmyMormonneighbors,whoarejustthemostnarcissisticandselfishpeopleIhaveeverhadthemisfortuneoflivingnear.Letmetellyou,thedouble-teamhard-sellproselytisingapproachisgearedfortheweak-minded,whichIamnot.Infact,don'torderanybooksfromthem--theydon'tmailit--theydeliveritinperson.Toconclude,whatIfindmostdistastefulaboutMormonsisthattheyhidebehindMormonismtoshieldthetrulyuglypeoplethattheyreallyare.Basedontheexamplesofmyneighbors,I'dratherletSatandefileme!RightonRoseanneBarr!
WOW. You are the single dumbest person I've seen on this site. Now THAT's saying something. You can't even write a proper sentence, and my 5-year old cousin can form a more coherent thought than you can. Get a freaking lobotomy already.
Still, I actually agree with most of what you say. LOL maybe your spacebar is dis-functional or something...
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!