I had an employee that moved from NY. He was hard to deal with. Wanted more, never doing the things you need to move up. Was late. Called out admitting he went on a bender. Never drunk or on something at work though.
I sat him down last week and told him he needs help, I gave him phone #'s to call. I implored him to do so. I didn't want him to slip through the cracks. He didn't take insurance here. Always money hungry, but never reliable even on overtime.
Then he got his 23 year old girlfriend pregnant. They fought, she told him she'd cut him out of the child's life. I asked him again to get help for the child's sake.
He called out Monday. Drank too much. His shift is a 3 day shift. Saturday through Monday. Monday he called and talked and asked to go on a leave of absence to go back to NY where he had insurance. I said yes. I told him I had to talk to my boss. I asked him to come in Tuesday to fill out the LOA paperwork to save his job. He asked to email him it. I reached out Tuesday to verify his email. He never responded. I though he was on another bender.
I had tests today to see if my heart is OK for surgery November or December for weight loss. I got a call from my backup. My employee died of an overdose.
I'm heartbroken. I'm beating myself up if I could have done more. I know I did a lot talking to him but my mind is still spinning.