
When Deborah and Warren Blum's 16-year-old died by suicide in November 2021, they went into shock. For two days, the grief-stricken Los Angeles couple didn't sleep.
But when it came time to write a death notice, Deborah Blum was clearheaded: In a heartfelt tribute to her smart, funny, popular child, who had recently come out as nonbinary, she was open and specific about the mental health struggles that led to Esther Iris' death.