Ned Vizzini, Author of 'It's Kind of a Funny Story,' Dies at 32 of Apparent Suicide

Fans are currently mourning the death of Young Adult author Ned Vizzini, who died of an apparent suicide Thursday in New York at the age of 32.

Medical examiners confirmed the news to TODAY.com, explaining that his injuries were consistent with someone who had fallen to their death. The New York-based author is known for his semi-autobiographical 2006 novel "It's Kind of a Funny Story," which follows the story of a 15-year-old boy struggling with depression and spends a week in an adult psychiatric ward after repeatedly attempting suicide. The story, which was later adapted into a 2010 film, was inspired by Vizzini's own brief hospitalization for depression in 2004.

"Ned was a preternatural talent - a brilliant, insightful writer and a dazzling storyteller who was one of the leading pioneers of YA literature as we know it," Alessandra Balzer, co-publisher of HarperCollins' Balzer + Bray, said in a statement.

Balzer has worked with Vizzini since he published his first novel, "Be More Chill," while still in college, according to TODAY.com.

"He created characters who were outsiders trying to find their way, and he did it with such humor and empathy. He was also incredibly kind and he adored his family and friends," she said. "At his signings, countless kids would approach him to say that he changed their lives - he gave them hope. And he was always generous to his fans. Ned's books will be read and beloved for generations to come. This is a tragic loss for all who knew him and were inspired by his work."

Vizzini has not only published several books, but worked as a television writer for NBC's upcoming "Believe" and wrote episodes of "Last Resort" and "Teen Wolf" with fellow novelist Nic Antosca.

"He was a great inspiration to many students and aspiring writers. And we hope he's remembered for that legacy of being an inspiration to young people everywhere," Alec Melman, a partner at Gotham Artists, a speakers bureau that had booked Vizzini at colleges and high schools for the past several years, told TODAY.com.

Fans and friends have taken to social media to express their grief and honor Ned Vizzini's talent and memory.