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Soap Opera Actor Nick Santino Commits Suicide at 47

Us Weekly – Sat, Jan 28, 2012 9:51 AM PST

Brooklyn-born actor Nick Santino committed suicide Wednesday, The New York Post reports.

The soap opera star was wracked with grief after his beloved pit bull Rocco was euthanized Tuesday -- the same day Santino turned 47.

PHOTOS: Us Weekly's photo tribute to stars we've lost

"Today I betrayed my best friend and put down my best friend," Santino wrote in a suicide note, according to close friend Stuart Sarnoff. "Rocco trusted me and I failed him. He didn't deserve this."

The actor, who appeared on seven episodes of All My Children and six episodes of Guiding Light, had been feeling "harassed" by his building management company, according to his neighbor Lia Pettigrew.

PHOTOS: Stars' soap opera beginnings

He was allegedly threatened with a $250 fine for having a barking dog, but according to neighbor Kevan Cleary, "the dog was not a barker, but somebody complained that the dog would bark."

Santino phoned a former girlfriend at 2 a.m. Wednesday. Police found Santino's body in his bedroom later that afternoon. The actor had overdosed on pills.

PHOTOS: Stars gone too soon

The actor's pet Rocco has been cremated; friends tell The New York Post Santino's remains will also be cremated.

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520 comments

God'sCreativeHand' ... • Marquette, Michigan • 3 months ago
THIS GOES TO SHOW PEOPLE THAT THEY AND THIER NEGATIVITY SHOULD BE HUSHED...YOU NEVER KNOW JUST WHERE A PERSON IS IN THIER LIFE. NOW I KNOW THAT THE TWO COMPLAINERS SHOULD HEAR BARKING AND CRYING FROM A MAN IN GRIEF FOR ALL OF THEIR DAYS!!!!!!SO SAD. YES A DOG IS A MANS BEST FRIEND AS WELL AS HIS SISTERS, MOTHERS BROTHERS ECT!!!! R.I.P.NICK & ROCCO! MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON YOUR SOUL!
Sharon Maclean • Halifax, Canada • 3 months ago
if i had to kill my dog i would kill myself too i couldnt live with myself doing that
gladdis • Palmdale, California • 3 months ago
He rescued his dog and was especially close to Rocco because he was abandoned and raised in an orphanage.He was depressed but the HOA and a few of the other tenants bullied him.
GP • Anaheim, California • 3 months ago
My dog was 21 years old I have had other pets but she was the most wonderful "I say person" because it was like she protected me. The hardest thing I have ever done was to put her down. I held her and just before she went she reached her neck up and gave me her kiss. The eyes I will never forget. I really feel sad for this young man but he did what he felt he should do. It has been almost 2 years yet still it seems that when I go to bed I can feel my covers by my feet come closer to me as if she jumped up and cuddled.
- CarmenO 3 months ago
  My first cat was killed in my yard. For months I could feel her jump and get in bed with me. It stopped when I got another cat. My third cat died and the day after I heard the sound of her jumping in bed as did my other cat. I bet you cat is actually there.
- mystic 3 months ago
  GP, 21 yrs. old is very old for an animal...you did you pet justice by putting her to sleep...It was tough love but I am sure she was suffering...I had to put my dog to sleep just 2 weeks ago and she was only 16 yrs. old...Honey, u should of done it a long time ago...don't feel bad...she knew she was loved and had a good home.
- SportsFan 3 months ago
  I know what you mean by the eyes!! My dog's eyes lit up like I have seen no other dog's eyes do. And I regret looking at my German Shephard when he was euthanized b/c I saw the light go out and believe me the Sun actually does not shine when I look at it now and the world looks dark to me. Can't explain it, but it was as if a light went off inside of me and now I hate the world.
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C • Orange, California • 3 months ago
I would move into a cardboard box, before I would ever get rid of my dog. He must have been desperate and already having problems with other things, but it seems those details are missing from this story.
- Djc 3 months ago
  Me too C. I live in my dogs home and have a sign to prove it.
- peace 3 months ago
  ditto
- Kerie B 3 months ago
  I would agree, he had to have had other problems going on and the Dog put him over, there clearly were other options then putting his none barking dog down, this was just his final reason to end his life and take his best friend with him. I think killing yourself is easy, it's the easy way out, but I can also understand not wanting to be here anymore either, I have severe depression but I chose life over death. I hope he found his peace.
Billy B • Hamilton, Canada • 3 months ago
...Many yrs have passed and I still miss one of my greatest firends I have ever known My Dog...Prince.....
- BlueMan 3 months ago
  And you always will. That is what pets do to us. They leave their little footprints on our hearts and they remain there forever.
- Sam Fair 3 months ago
  You are absolutely right, Cmore. I had to put my cat down, whom had been with me for 18 years because he was so ill that he would never recover. I tried having two other cats but it was never the same. So I had to give then away. I was there when he (Blacktoe) popped out of his mommy and I'll never forget how we bonded so immediately. I think about him all the time.His mother was special too. She was with me for 17 years. She just showed up on my door step one day and never left.
- peace 3 months ago
  I agree, pets are more loyal than humans. It has been year's since I had to put my beloved chow down. I never understood why ppl were so attached to their pets? until I owned my own. I will never get over the feeling of losing such a wonderful pet.
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Lexi • Encino, California • 3 months ago
Strange... over a dog?
- God'sCreativeHand' ... 3 months ago
  apparently you have know idea that dogs are human too! some treat you better than folk like you...people like you need to get to know God and find realize that you are MISSING the POINT! God bless his family & any ones family who has had to deal with a "suicide" for what ever reason. Life is Life no matter how you many legs you stand on!!
- Lexi 3 months ago
  Folks like me? Darling, your sooo sure of who I am...That your judging me in your so called Godly rant? I was taught in church judge not lest ye be judged!
  Whatever, I have a right to my opinion as do you, better not go around casting judgements on others, cause Honey, You missed my point!
- Grace 15 days ago
  No Lexi, God'sCreativeHand didn't miss your point...YOU are the one who has missed the point.
cathyw • 3 months ago
I just read in Nick's biography that he was in one of the first teams on 9/11 Trade Center scene for search and rescue. He had an engineering degree and asbestos training and that got him in. He clearly was a very compassionate man. I'm sure this wasn't the first complaint he had on his dog, he probably just overreacted out of frustration and then was devastated by his reaction later. Sad it came to this. Sometimes when you are in the middle of an emotional frustrating situation, you don't think clearly and make logical decisions. Just for some background, Nick was given up for adoption at 5 months old, put in an orphanage and then spent all his childhood in 9 different foster homes. This was more than a dog to him, it was clearly his "family".
- m 3 months ago
  really I think you shoud have wrote the story on him with all you have said i can see more clearly his thought paterns so sad he was obveously suffering from post tramatic stress syndrom and the death of his friend pushed him over the edge.
- Cat 3 months ago
  You should've been the author of this article, I agree "M"!!! What a nice man.
- Eliazer 3 months ago
  Your explanation has helped me make sense of why he would take his own life. I think the loss of his pet brought up some deep traumatic feelings from his childhood and past and sometimes emotional/psychological pain can be so overwhelming to bear...truly sad it came to this.
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tami • Newington, Georgia • 3 months ago
Why not move where he could keep the dog????? rip- so sad. Hope those neighbors are feeling pretty bad right now.
Ladie H • New York, New York • 3 months ago
What ever the reason he must have been tormented I hope he finds some peace...R.I.P.
dora • Wichita, Kansas • 3 months ago
May our prayers be with his family if he has any and his friends. It sounds like he had some other problems that we are not aware of. Someone in his building didn't like his dog( being a pitbull) and did what they could to get rid of it. If he loved his dog that much he should have moved or paid the fine,taking his own life is a bit extreme.If he called an ex at 2am why wasn't he found until later that afternoon???
A Yahoo! User • 3 months ago
a sane person would grief as i have . lossong a pet or feeling responsible for a pet is right but logically , move out , fight back, investigate the complaint ,If you love a human so you give them up and kill them , well i think not, abortion is hard on one but if your mind thinks at all,,do something , maybe he was sick himself and that why he euthased him a nd himself. that why he wrot e that letter , guilty about his inabililty to be healthy to take care of that dog. he is not trustworthy dude to an illnes like depression, post tramua stress disorder from 9/11 maybe ,, more thatn meets the eye. sane people fight for what they love and care about
research student • 3 months ago
when you love a pet its a very pure kinda love-like the love for a baby..or small child-they are such innocents,can hardly fend for themselves and are dependant on you to care for them..we tend to console our deepests emotions with these quiet(mostly) companions! unafraid of being judged or ridiculed or hurt by them...its really quite sad that a majority of us never find this kind of love in our lives,esp. with a human counter part!...some of the deepest,biggest heartaches ive ever experianced have been the result of the loss of a few of these angels in my life-two were put to sleep because of illness-by me..and that really,really stings..its a harsh world,blessed are we to have had our great friends along the way..even if only briefly!
gonethuit • Pontiac, Michigan • 3 months ago
A dog can be your best friend. You do not know how bad it feels until they are gone. He should have given himself more time to get over it.
Terri • Manchester, New Hampshire • 3 months ago
Three weeks ago I had to have my 6 year old cat Midnight euthanized because of a medical issue. I could have prolonged his life with extensive surgery, but he would not have been able to free roam and would have to spend a majority of his time in a very large crate. He would not have been able to play with his brother, run, jump or even climb stairs. That is not living a cat's life.It was not something I wanted to do, and it was the hardest thing I had to do. Vets are not suppose to show emotion or attachment when treating a sick pet, but my vet did, because as sick as Midnight was, he still purred, wanted to be held and did his head butts when we was all excited. I still have days when I walk in and he is not in the kitchen to greet me at the door, or when I am upstairs he's not there to race me down to see who gets to the bottom first or when I lay down on the couch with a blanket, he was on the blanket before I even had a chance to get under it. It's super hard not having your companion, having joys and happinesses that pets bring taken away. A part of you goes with them when they leave. Then there is, the questioning of whether you did the right thing or made a mistake. It's sad that Nick did what he did. I dont think he is the first person to do this. However, because he was an actor, it made for a story to tell. They are together again...and maybe that is what Nick wanted. The greatest love is unconditional love...Dog spelled back wards is GOD.I read a saying once to the effect of " God created dog to give to man (woman) because He knew mankind would not be able to love one another unconditionally."
Margaret • Akron, Ohio • 3 months ago
WHAT??? You kill your dog, then kill yourself because someone complained about the dog barking? Did he fight it? Was he going to be evicted or something? Could he have possibly MOVED, given the dog to a relative or friend, took the dog to obedience school??? Anything but killing it and then himself! There's gotta be more to this story.
William • Mishawaka, Indiana • 3 months ago
My prayers go out to his family. Very very sad story.... I hope when my pet goes I will be strong
Nancy • 3 months ago
When I lost my precious dog of 13 years, I found getting another dog soon helped me with the sadness. Two weeks of crying daily was enough, I got a different kind of dogs, they are sisters. Min Pins (minature dobermens) and are precious. I stopped crying the day they came home with me. They are 3 now. I still love and miss Tattoo and he will forever in my heart but my life goes on.
Charles Micheaux • 3 months ago
A very sad story indeed; who ever said a Dog is man's best friend, got it right. I hope Santino
and Rocco have found peace...together...again.
Steve • 3 months ago
I've out-lived a handful of dogs over my lifetime...all great friends who I truly loved and I'm really sorry that Mr. Santino was so traumatized by his dog's death that he took his own life. I do have one solution for those others out there that may be in the same situation...and I don't mean to be insensitive: NEW PUPPY!

It works every time.