Shay Torgerson, who went missing after telling his family he was going to spend a few days at his mother's house to help with his grandfather's funeral, has been found dead. Shay reportedly committed suicide. After a three-year battle with schizoaffective disorder-bipolar 1, he died on Monday morning, March 27th.
Shay Torgerson forgot his medicine when he visited his mother. His family found his pill bottle in the cupboard three days later while he was psychotic. Shay drove without answering his phone or texts. He parked in the middle of the Wabasha Bridge in Saint Paul at 3:30 a.m., got out, and jumped into the Mississippi River. Ramsey County Water Patrol is searching for his body.
Shay grew up in Saint Cloud and Maple Grove, Minnesota. He earned high honours at Maple Grove High School as a baseball star. While studying business and finance at Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minnesota, he played baseball and track & field.
After graduating, Shay worked in financial services and played baseball for several teams, including the Saint Anthony Hogs. Shay loved family and friends more than sports. His charisma, loyalty, thoughtfulness, compassion, and sense of humour will be remembered.
Shay was a hard worker with business and financial services potential. As a young adult, Shay has set himself up for a future of boundless love, great happiness, purpose and meaning, and opportunities to make a positive difference in his community through hard work, responsible living, focus on and commitment to the people and things that matter, including his renewed Christian faith.
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We're heartbroken to announce Shay's death. After a three-year battle with schizoaffective disorder – bipolar 1, he died early on Monday, March 27, 2023.
Shay split his childhood between Saint Cloud and Maple Grove, Minnesota, with his mom and I. Maple Grove High School honoured him as a Crimson varsity baseball player. He played baseball for Saint Paul's Hamline University and track and field in his senior year. After college, Shay worked in financial services and played amateur baseball for several teams, including the Saint Anthony Hogs.
Shay loved sports, but his family and friends will remember him for his smile and laugh, humble intellect, wit and sense of humour, loyalty, kindness, thoughtfulness, and sensitivity to others. His wicked curveball...
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One of the many stories I remember of him, age four or five, noticing two older children he had never met playing in the playground at the Saint Cloud McDonalds near the Saint August exit to I-94 is one of many that represent who he was and would become as an adult. The other two were brothers, possibly seven and nine. The blind older brother wandered the play area with his arms outstretched, unaided by his younger brother. Without asking for permission or announcing his plan, Shay got up from our picnic table without finishing his meal and walked straight to the older brother, grabbing his hand and calmly leading him to the playground fixtures, telling him what they were. After that, the blind boy had a blast playing with the other two boys for 30 minutes. That story illustrates Shay's lifelong behaviour.
Shay positioned himself as a young adult to enjoy a future of boundless love, great happiness, purpose and meaning, and opportunities to make a positive difference in his community through hard work, responsible living, and focus on and commitment to the people and things that matter, including his renewed Christian faith. His future was stolen.
Shay had his first psychotic episode over Thanksgiving weekend 2019 when his future looked bright. He had several more episodes over the next three years, including several 72-hour hospital stays. A highway overpass jump attempt failed. Fahim Mursal, a Saint Paul Police officer, saved his life and brought him to Regions Hospital, where psychiatrists diagnosed Shay and gave him the medication that kept him episode-free for a year until this past weekend.
Shay left last Thursday morning to help his mother with his grandfather's death-related tasks. Shay forgot his medicine. Three days later, Dawn and I found his pill bottle in the cupboard. Shay was already psychotic. Shay drove around, ignoring our calls and texts, until 3:30 a.m., when he parked in the middle of Saint Paul's Wabasha Bridge and jumped into the Mississippi River. His body remains unfound despite Ramsey County Water Patrol's efforts.
Witnesses near the bridge called Saint Paul Police to report hearing a scream, splash, and cries for help that stopped. Shay's running car, jacket, and shoes were found on the bridge by police. This river section has high walls without ladders or exits. The water patrol officer leading the search considers this a death.
Dawn and I loved Shay inexpressibly. He was and is our pride. We loved him. We will miss him forever.
Still processing this tragedy. We appreciate texts and other messages, but please don't call or visit us. We are not prepared to discuss this and are trying to keep the phone lines clear for Saint Paul Police and Ramsey County Water Patrol calls. We appreciate as many positive thoughts and prayers as you can.
Who isShay Torgerson?
When Shay Torgerson went to visit his mother, he did not remember to bring the medication that he needed with him. When his family discovered his pill bottle in the cupboard three days later, he was already in the midst of a psychotic episode at that point. Shay did nothing but drive around aimlessly and ignored both his phone calls and his texts. When he reached the middle of the Wabasha Bridge in Saint Paul at approximately 3:30 in the morning, he parked his vehicle, exited his vehicle, and dove headfirst into the Mississippi River. Nevertheless, members of the Ramsey County Water Patrol are looking for his body in the river.
Shay was born and raised in Minnesota, primarily in the towns of Saint Cloud and Maple Grove throughout the state. He was a standout on the baseball team at Maple Grove High School and went on to achieve a high level of success academically there. In addition to earning a degree in business and finance from Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minnesota, where he competed on the university's track and field and baseball teams, he also played baseball during his time there.
