A man who jumped to his death at Disneyland was a school principal due in court Monday on child endangerment and battery charges — which he blasted in a social-media suicide note.
Christopher Christensen, 51, who had been the principal of Huntington Beach elementary schools for 22 years, wrote on Facebook, “I hate when people leave this Earth with so many unanswered questions. So, I hope this provides some insight and perspective. My wife, Marlena, Yes, you heard me correctly. Most of you don’t know this but we privately married 3 ½ years ago. Marlena and I love and adore each other and our relationship has been amazing … up until recently. Unfortunately, two weeks ago she and I got into a heated argument at home in front of the girls, tempers were flared and strong words were exchanged. However, never in this exchange did I hit, slap, or hurt Marlena in any manner. Nor did I ever touch the girls (I never have and never will),I love the girls like my own.”
He continued “Unfortunately, Marlena’s anger got the best of her that night and she called the police, which landed me in jail that night. Yes, me! A man who has never hit or harmed ANYONE in his life!” He claimed that his secret wife “truly regrets making that call, because the events of that night have completely unraveled both of our lives.”
His sign-off included a touching tribute to the “past 21+ years” during which he “truly loved educating and leading thousands of students and families as a principal” in the Fountain Valley School District.
“Please remember me for all the good I brought to the world of education,” he pleaded, while also thanking fellow musicians who have performed alongside him “over the past 30 years.”
“There is so much more I want to say, but I am going to spend the rest of today reaching out to those closest to me to let them know how much I love them. This is not an ideal way to go out, but at least I get a chance to say some final words to those who I love and adore,” he continued "Take care everyone. Please, please, please be kind to one another! Treat each other with kindness and grace. There is too much anger in the world and people need to start treating each other better. What I’ve shared with you above is a prime example of how ‘anger’ can really have long-lasting and extremely damaging effects on a person’s life,” he ended the tragic note.
Christensen left the note before jumping to his death from a parking structure at Disneyland in Anaheim late Saturday.
Before his death, he had been principal at Courreges Elementary School for more than 11 years, his LinkedIn showed.
Check out the note below. If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.