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Gallery Owner Found Dead On UES Street, Suicide Suspected
By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 23, 2012
Modified Dec 23, 2012
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By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 23, 2012
Modified Dec 23, 2012
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Yesterday, the body of a "well-dressed woman" was found on a Manhattan street. Now, it seems the woman was a gallery owner on the Upper East Side and in the Hamptons—and police think she jumped to her death.
According to the Post, the woman was 54-year-old Marijana Bego, who "was found lying in the middle of Madison Avenue after plunging from the roof of the five-story building that houses her Bego-Ezair Gallery" at 905 Madison Avenue (between 72nd and 73rd Streets). Her legs were so injured "that police who first responded to the scene at about 6:20 a.m. thought she was the victim of a hit-and-run accident, sources said."
Bego's friends were surprised that she possibly committed suicide: One said, "Maybe its just the stress of the season," but "She was very outgoing and edgy. She was edgy because that’s the nature of this business. She dresses very edgy, presenting herself to be younger than she really is." An artist whose work was shown in the gallery said, "Sometimes her behavior was rather erratic... I just figured she was a character — a little over the top, someone who liked to enjoy herself."
Her publicist, R. Couri Hay, said that she was "always extremely high-strung and eccentric, and kind of kooky. But I never took her to be depressed, or took it as someone who might take her own life," but another person said that more recently, "She seemed very overwhelmed, and had a lot on her plate."
If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: do not leave the person alone, remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt, and call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.
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marijana bego
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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