According to two people close to Mark Madoff, in the days leading to his suicide, he had been particularly anxious about an article that was due to run in The Wall Street Journal.  One spoke on Friday with Mark and found nothing particular foreboding about the conversation, except to note that Mark told him that The Journal was running an article about him the next day, and even though he believed it would not contain new information, he expressed concern and frustration about the coverage.  It wasn’t that unusual.

"[Younger brother] Andy was always tougher than Mark.  Mark was much more sensitive and took all the press coverage very personally." 

"He loved his wife and his kids so much.  The only way to accept this is that he was in so much pain, and that pain outweighed the love he had for his wife and his kids.  And I guess he thought this was the only way out."

    Unable to Find Work.  Throughout the past 2 years, Mark Madoff used whatever connections were open to him to look for work as an equity trader.  He gradually become less and less optimistic about that possibility, and in recent months, he worked for a friend who ran a business.  That friend said, "He seemed to be looking to the future and trying to get his life together.  He was looking for ways to support himself and his family."  Mark Madoff also worked on an online newsletter on the real estate industry, but realized he could never attach his name to it. 

Mark Madoff was found at his apartment at 158 Mercer Street, on the edge of the SoHo section of Manhattan.  A law enforcement official confirmed that Mark had sent 2 e-mails to his wife in Florida after 4 a.m. Saturday - in one he asked her to get someone to check on their son.  NY Police have seized Mr. Madoff’s computer and were searching it for further information.

    Around the Neighborhood.   On Sunday, a parking garage attendant where Mr. Madoff parked his 2 cars - late model Chevrolet Suburban, a Land Rover - said he last saw Mark Madoff Friday night while Mr. Madoff was walking his dog.  "I said thank-you for the gift," referring to $400 that Mr. Madoff had given the garage’s half-dozen workers for Christmas. “He looked happy.  He didn’t look depressed."

A friend at the building who said he knew Mr. Madoff fairly well said that recently Mr. Madoff had seemed to be coming out of his depression of the last 2 years and that he seemed fine as he was taking a walk Friday morning.

For further details, click onto:   [NYTimes "Madoff Lawsuits ...", 12/12]