Max Azzarello: Friends of self-immolating Florida man say mother’s death left him ‘heartbroken’

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK: Max Azzarello, the man who set himself on fire outside Donald Trump's hush money trial in New York, succumbed to his injuries, sparking conversations about his mental state and motivations.

Azzarello's friends and neighbors in St Augustine, Florida, revealed that the death of his mother two years ago had a profound impact on his mental health, leading to a drastic change in his behavior.

Friends remember Max Azzarello

Azzarello, a 37-year-old graduate from Rutgers University, was described by friends as "super curious about social justice and the way things 'could' be," said fellow Rutgers alum Katie Brennan. "He was creative and adventurous."

"He was a good friend and person and cared about the world," added another high school friend, Steven Waldman. 

Both highlighted the fact that the confirmed conspiracy theorist appeared decidedly normal, as did his neighbors in historic St Augustine, where he resided in a small apartment near the Matanzas River. "[He was] an extremely nice person," recounted the property manager of his apartment building, Larry Altman.

"He had political views that I would not consider mainstream. He called our government and the world government a Ponzi scheme." Altman recollected, adding that these views were hardly a cause for concern.

"If you met Max, he’d shake your hand, and you’d have a nice conversation," he remarked to The Times. "He’d treat you with respect."

His oldest friends were even more taken aback by his sudden act, with Carol Waldman, the mother of his childhood friend, remembering, "He was kind and a gentle soul. A real wonderful, terrific young guy. Who had his whole life ahead of him."

Impact of mother's death on Max Azzarello

However, following the loss of his mother, Elizabeth Azzarello, in April 2022, his demeanor reportedly shifted.

"That was around the time when he became more outspoken," Waldman said referring to the last eight or so months of 2022. "They were close, and they had a good relationship. He was heartbroken."

In the months leading up to his death, Azzarello's online presence became increasingly erratic, with rambling posts and conspiracy theories dominating his social media accounts.

"This extreme act of protest is to draw attention to an urgent and important discovery," Azzarello penned for his online manifesto, 'The Ponzi Papers.'

"We are victims of a totalitarian con, and our own government (along with many of their allies) is about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup."

He asserted that the alleged regime "is about to hit us with an apocalyptic fascist world coup," just months following a series of arrests in his home state for incidents in August, which included hurling a drink at a photo of Bill Clinton.

Glimpse into Max Azzarello's struggles

However, eight months before this incident, Azzarello took to Facebook to inform his online friends that he had undergone treatment at a mental health facility, humorously remarking, "Three days in the psych ward, and all I got were my new favorite socks."

Further, he was also observed outside the courthouse both Thursday and Friday, reportedly informing The New York Times, "Trump's in on it."

Once again presenting himself as a 'research investigator,' Azzarello informed the paper that his beliefs were shaped by research he had conducted on Peter Thiel, the venture capitalist known for providing seed money to firms like PayPal and Facebook.

Photographed holding a sign that declared, "Trump is with Biden and they're about to fascist coup us," he expressed, "It's a secret kleptocracy, and it can only lead to an apocalyptic fascist coup."

The day prior, reports suggest he held a sign criticizing New York University before heading to the courthouse, distributing literature on the subject.

On Friday, April 19, the self-employed 'investigative researcher' suddenly tossed a stack of pamphlets into the air, which included links to his manifesto, moments before igniting himself.

Following the self-immolation, law enforcement officers arrived at the scene just before 2 pm. He was subsequently transported to a nearby hospital's burn unit and passed away shortly before 11 pm, as confirmed by sources.

Internet weighs in on Max Azzarello's mental struggles

One reader commented saying: “How bad and in what state of confusion does your life have to be in, how invested would a person have to be in the absolute chaos that surrounds politics, to do this sort of thing to himself? People need to get back to the basics, to simply calm down, and to follow good old-fashioned common sense and let the voters decide who will represent them. That is all that matters. Let everyday citizens decide fairly and securely, and try to tame the noise and the political turmoil so prevalent today, because there are too many people who seem completely overcome by it. No matter the politics of this man, I hope he is now at peace.’’

Another sympathizing with the late protester wrote: “My heart goes out to him. By all accounts he sounded like a great human being up until the passing of his mother. The loss of a parent can be absolutely devastating and hard to recover from for some. I’m extremely close to my mother and it’s hard to imagine life without her. May his soul rest in peace.”

A third person commented saying, “It’s sad that behind the man’s obvious mental struggles he actually very articulately expressed in his Substack the truth of what is really going on in the global political landscape. Poor guy and compassion to those who witnessed and responded to his tragic act.”

A reader condoling the death of Azzarello’s mother wrote, “Poor caring soul. Grieving for his mum then researching key figures in the cesspit of this world would be enough to send anyone over the edge. May he be at peace. Condolences to all who cared for him; and those who were at the scene.”

One reader claimed Azzarello never hurt anyone by his deed as they wrote, “It’s a horrible thing to see but he didn’t take any lives away and my thoughts are with his family.”

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.