In the years after her divorce from her ex-husband, speculation over her plastic surgery, and the death of her father, entertainer Marie Osmond seemed to be bouncing back from widely publicized scrutiny, winning third place in the competition, Dancing With the Stars, and continuing to work with her brother on their variety show, Donny & Marie, in Las Vegas. But on Feb. 26, all the anguish appeared to resurface when Marie Osmond’s 18 year-old son, Michael Bryan, committed suicide. At about 9 pm that night, Michael jumped from the eighth floor of his Los Angeles apartment, leaving behind a suicide note for a close female friend. In the note, Michael cited his desire to end his life because he had felt alone with no friends and no sense of belonging.

A statement released on Feb. 27 by Osmond expressed her sadness: “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.” One of Osmond’s eight children, Michael had been battling severe depression for years now. He entered rehab in 2007 for reasons and treatment never revealed. Just last March, Osmond had been praising her son’s efforts at getting his life back on track: “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.”

Michael’s body was buried Mar. 8 in the Osmond’s home state of Utah. Marie and brother Donny returned to L.A.’s Flamingo Casino & Hotel the next day to return to their scheduled performances which are expected sometime next week. In the meantime, an autopsy done on Sunday determined the cause of Michael’s death to be delayed until toxicology reports arrive, which may be in 6 weeks. As the entire Osmond clan continues to mourn, close friend Ruthann Clawson’s lasting memory of Michael is anything but dismal: “If you were sad, he would be the one to make you feel better. He would find a way to make you laugh. He was there if you needed anything. I want people to remember him as the nicest person I’ve ever met.”