Tyler Rich is opening up to fans about a devastating experience he had while out on a leisurely run in Massachusetts over the holiday break.
The up-and-coming country singer recalled the heartbreaking moment in a series of Instagram story screenshots posted to his regular feed. Not knowing what he would expect on his run through Chicopee Memorial State Park in Massachusetts, Rich came across a scene that would change his life forever.
“I then saw what I thought was a young homeless man sleeping. He was on his stomach and had a bag tied around his foot and was faced down. (Assumed maybe this was so people didn’t steal his belongings while he slept). After running around him, I felt bad for him, he was sleeping facedown and just looked like he was in a bad place. So, I turned around and went back to check on him. I realize he isn’t breathing, and as I get around to the front of him, all I see is a lifeless face covered in blood,” Rich explained in his social media post.
Rich said he immediately went to find a phone to call 911 and spoke with authorities for around an hour to recover all of the details about the encounter. Police then told Rich some sad news about the man.
“After sometime, the officers found a gun in one of his hands under his body. Which means it potentially could have been a suicide… Not that there is any type of thing that could help me cope with finding him like this,” he recounted.
Just one day after finding the body, the singer thanked fans for all of the support and recognized the importance of community.
“Community is so important, remember to tell people how much you love them, and remember to talk to someone, anyone, when you are feeling lost and alone, cause you’re not,” he wrote in another Instagram post.
Police have not yet confirmed the identity of the body. The investigation is ongoing.