American operatic tenor Jerry Hadley is on a life support following an apparent suicide attempt. The 55 year old singer, who has appeared on Grammy and Emmy award winning recordings as well as taking lead roles in the likes of Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio and Leonard Bernstein's Candide, is thought to have been struggling recently with both his career and finances, and was arrested last year on a DUI charge, although prosecutors later dropped the case.
According to New York State Police, the singer shot himself with an air rifle at his home near Poughkeepsie and was found unconscious on the floor of his bedroom by state troopers. He is in a critical condition due to severe brain injury, and medical staff are to evaluate his condition today to determine whether or not he should be left on life support.