What Was Blake Hounshell’s Cause of Death?

Content warning: This article contains mentions of suicide.

In the world of political journalism, Blake Hounshell had worked diligently for almost two decades to make a name for himself. Through stints at a variety of major publications, Blake became well-known in the journalism community and was lauded for his work covering the likes of the Arab Spring and other major political moments throughout the 2010s.

Unfortunately, Blake passed away at just 44 years old on Jan. 10, 2023, leaving behind an immense void in his industry. With that being said, what exactly was his cause of death? Keep reading for all of the known details.

According to a report published by The New York Times, whom Blake was working with at the time of his passing, his family said that he died “after a long and courageous battle with depression.” Police in Washington, D.C., are said to be investigating Blake’s death as a suicide.

According to an internal memo circulated by Joseph Kahn, the publication’s executive editor, Blake “quickly distinguished himself as our lead politics newsletter writer and a gifted observer of our country’s political scene.”

Through this, the late journalist “became an indispensable and always insightful voice in the report during a busy election cycle.”

Born on Sept. 4, 1978, in California, Bernard Blakeman Hounshell spent most of his early life between Delaware and Pittsburgh, Penn. In 2002, Blake graduated from Yale University with a degree in political science. His journalism career began when he studied Arabic while living in Cairo. This eventually led to him becoming a finalist for the Livingston Awards for Young Journalists in 2011 thanks to his coverage of the Arab Spring uprisings.

Blake leveraged this success to become the managing editor of Foreign Policy from 2009 to 2013, garnering the publication three National Magazine Awards. He then worked as the editor-in-chief at Politico for eight years before joining the team at The New York Times, where he worked up until his death.

Our thoughts are with Blake’s family, friends, and fans during this difficult time.