[This comment was edited, per the Comments Policy. It amazes me that the vast majority of suicides are by men, and virtually all of the articles about it are by women. The four-second fall from the Golden Gate Bridge sends a person plunging . Dealing with the guilt is the hardest thing I have ever dealt with. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. I hope you will read it and take its words to heart. :A Follow-up Study of Suicide Attempters fromthe Golden Gate Bridge.. The Golden Gate Bridge crosses the Golden Gate Strait and connects the City of San Francisco and the County of Marin to the north. Press J to jump to the feed. Enter your email address to receive notifications by email of new posts. Im about to be 22, medicated trying to live normal with constant suicidal thoughts. Leads continue to come in, her parents said. As of 2013, it is estimated that 34 people have survived after jumping. A. There were probably signs that you had a drinking problem from the very beginning. It was a startling revelation. She took a ride-share service. You can find a life worth living, too, if you set your mind to finding solutions. My mother battled w depression I watched her battle hard all my life and still. Sydney is considered at risk due to depression, said SFPD Officer Robert Rueca to KRON4. Whether ones anchor to life is children or some other passion, it is a gift to have a reason for living that outweighs suicidal thoughts. The Golden Gate Bridge came to be recognized as a symbol of the power and progress of the United States, and it set a precedent for suspension-bridge design around the world. At approximately 6:45 am, Sydney was captured by cameras entering the Golden Gate Bridge. I wanted to talk with others in the same situation but I could understand how that may not be in the best interest of either party. Dialectical behavior therapy? I woke up on my own after my first attempt. Part of Audacy. Cameras on the Golden Gate Bridge recorded Sydney the morning of Sept. 30. The suicide barrier on the Sydney Harbour Bridge simply rerouted jumpers to a cliff popularly known as The Gap. Its agonizing to lose someone you love to suicide, and you describe that agony very powerfully. A view of the Golden Gate Bridge with San Francisco behind it in January 1947. You can learn more about me here. But 10 years later, Im there again. I wonder what psychotherapy he has tried. I tried to help her, I really did Except I didnt. That is so sad, Julie. The footage taken by Guzman didn't make the news, but was watched by a small, select group: the San Francisco coroners jury, which quickly ruled a case of accidental death from drowning a week later. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For me, the will to live kicked in. . Sydney Harbour Bridge has a suicide prevention barrier. But in reality, he cant know what the future holds. The 265-foot plunge off the most famous bridge in the world was right in his wheelhouse, until it wasnt. Sure if youve got someone/s to bail you out after your attempt, yeah youve got a reason to live. I am so glad my attempt did not end in my death. Case Contact Information: SFPD at 415-575-444 or text TIP411 (Start your message with SFPD) Or contact: private investigator Scott Dudek at 925-705-8328 or dudek.associates@gmail.com, *there is a reward for information that leads to her location and return, For more info: https://findsydneywest.com/ Facebook: Find Sydney West Instagram @find_sydney_west Polly Klaas Foundation: https://www.pollyklaas.org/missing-children/sydney-west/, Sources: https://pleasantonweekly.com/news/2021/09/30/what-a-week-find-sydney-west https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/searching-for-sydney-san-francisco-police-still-asking-for-publics-help/?fbclid=IwAR2uVE3anCjr5EvpUerTiD6JZxCAENR83-xIRz3TRzAfRuGckyYFzRqnobM https://storiesoftheunsolved.com/2020/11/27/the-disappearance-of-sydney-west/. I love to see that in the Comments section; I find it beautiful when people can connect in this way and, even more, when someone can tell another person what they havent believed for themselves. "This will be the biggest jump of my life," he told her. Thanks for sharing, Anne. I worry almost everyday that Ill maim myself again and not die. Theres people who love you and want you to keep pushing even if your soul reason is living to not put them through that heartache. What do you tell the ones who still perceive they have no one how do I get through to him? Between 1937 and 2012, an estimated 1,400 bodies were recovered of people who had jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge, located in the San Francisco Bay Area in the United States. Dec. 11, 2019 Updated: Dec. 12, 2019 8:06 a.m. 5. West returned to the Bay Area for college at UC Berkeley after her family moved from Pleasanton to North Carolina several years ago. After my attempt at suicide, I tried to find information about my feelings and what others were feeling. A couple hours. Holidays and milestones come and go while we continue to feelSydney's absence continuously. Im wondering if youve seen the post If Only: Self-Blame After a Loved Ones Suicide. West is 5'10" and slender at 130 pounds, with blue eyes and light brown hair. This Walking Pad treadmill made getting 10,000 steps a How to get tickets for Depeche Mode's new tour dates. Its impossible to know but something to consider, in case youre only considering the set of possibilities for which you blame yourself. Written forwww.speakingofsuicide.com. Rhodes had been seeking fame all his life, and successfully became one of Hollywoods first stuntmen, appearing in movies such as "Under Arizona Skies" and "Duel in the Sun," in which he performed a cliff jump. Missing person: The San Francisco Police Department is asking the public to report any information regarding 19-year-old Sydney West who was last seen on Sept. 30, 2020, at SF's Crissy Field. Rhodes, who also went by his native Navajo name Chief Sundown, was no stranger to danger. She was, for a period of time, carrying a black backpack that she frequently used to get around town. Dear Anthony, [feb.6.2019 @9.26am]. I knew then that I would never try it again. Perfectly so. I am so very grateful now to be alive and I hope to find ways to assist others going through the deep abyss that can sometimes take over your entire being take another breath, and another. At the time, a made for TV movie, named Silence of the Heart came out. West returned to the Bay Area as a University of California, Berkeley student, where she studied until recently, San Francisco police said when she was first reported missing. Im sorry youre feeling so bad that your suicide seems, to you, to be inevitable. West was born in Walnut Creek and lived briefly in Castro Valley before her family moved to Pleasanton. Once her gap year was over, she moved back to California decided to attend U.C. 19-year-old Sydney West was last seen Sept. 30. Although severe depression led him to jump off the bridge, Kevin Hines has stated: "The very second I let go, I knew I had made a big mistake." Maybe I didnt want to think he could actually do it. Say someone wants to die by suicideso badly that they go to the Golden Gate Bridge to jump off. "We have a lot of people that are asking us for information.". Have you found commonality in your suicidal patients? Where Are They Now? Same with divorce. and our I am a suicide survivor from India. Rhodes also made the news in 1946 on a radio program called Truth or Consequences in which he was bizarrely tasked with living on a traffic island on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and La Brea for three weeks. Generally, research into method substitution has found that blocking access to a suicide method results in fewer suicides overall, even when taking into consideration those suicides by people who found other ways to die. After he was rescued, he continued to live, and lives still, serving as a suicide prevention advocate at the national level. "No detail is too small," said her mother, Kimberly West. Each year I did - 2004, 2007, and 2013 - the Red Sox went on to win the World Series. FAQs - Statistics & Data | Golden Gate I just read your post. (findsydneywest.com) West was last seen on the morning of Sept. 30 on the iconic bridge. Additionally, Hines takes medication and . It is always wonderful to hear from someone who made it out to the other side. Upon its completion in 1937, it was the tallest and longest suspension bridge in the world. Berkeley. Her Disappearance: Sydney West was a 19-year-old freshman at U.C. West took a rideshare service to the Golden Gate Bridge; the driver cooperated with San Francisco police and is not believed to be a suspect. If you havent already joined a support group for other suicide loss survivors, that might help you; such groups are available in person and online. My sons father committed suicide and in the moments he was alive after shooting himself he kept saying sorry I shouldnt have never done this over and over. In 2000, he actually did jump off the Golden Gate Bridge. SF]. I wish everyone could receive this gift, and I am grateful that you and others have done so! 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. Rhodes was the 90th person to jump to their death from the bridge in its short 11 year history, but the first who wanted to survive. Had medical intervention on the second. You cant will people to live. She is an amazing musician. Have you read Whats In the Way Is the Way by Mary OMalley? The West family has also upped its reward for her return to $25,000. "I just want to reach out to all the folks that have been supporting us over the past almost month now, communicate that the support and the love that we get is just absolutely amazing," Wests dad, Jay West, said in the clip. Aside from seeing a therapist, I didnt find anything out there to help. As the deaths of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain draw attention to the public health crisis of depression and mental illness, Megyn Kelly TODAY welcomes Kevi. West, 19, disappeared on a foggy San Francisco morning, around 6:45 a.m. to 7 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30 on the Golden Gate Bridge. But then they are stopped from jumping. San Francisco Police have previously said the teenager "is considered at risk due to depression." Its sad how much youve suffered, and its inspirational how differently you feel right now. Sydney West was last seen near the Golden Gate Bridge in the early morning hours of Sept. 30, walking near Crissy Field. Thanks again for your thoughtful comment. I address the myth of inevitable suicide in this post. If all else fails do something drastic. I am hopeful that similar results will be found after the suicide barrier at the Golden Gate bridge is in place. The articles abstract states: Following the interventions, there was an 86% reduction in jumping suicides per year at the sites in question (95% CI 79% to 91%). Why Prevent Suicide? "Jump." That's the word Kevin Hines heard in his head on September 25, 2000, as he stood on the Golden Gate Bridge. But the other day I told him that and now hes moving in with me again so my life is going good again! Overall, a meta-analysis of numerous studies that looked at bridges suicide barriers found them to be effective. 15, 12, by Americaoncoffee. My advice to you or to those considering suicide or attempted suicide, please THINK of your loved one, your family and friends. Second Chances: 'I survived jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge' Kevin Briggs. We certainly do need to continue educating people about suicide prevention, including the reality that most people who survive a suicide attempt choose life afterwards. : The Fate of Suicide Attempt Survivors, A Follow-up Study of Suicide Attempters from. I was determined and had written a detailed letter with instructions for the police and family. Background: Sydney West was born on July 11, 2001. Clad in two suits, weighted boots, football padding, another rubber suit and a football helmet that onlookers described as giving him a man-from-Mars look, Rhodes also had three parachutes on his back to ease his fall. West's family urges anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Scott Dudek, their investigator, who can be reached at 925-705-8328. Her Disappearance: Sydney West was a 19-year-old freshman at U.C. West was in the Bay Area to take summer classes at UC Berkeley; she was supposed to enter school in the fall, but due to a concussion she sustained and classes being held remotely, she opted to defer for another year but stayed in California with family friends. Watching "The Bridge" -- a new documentary that captures 23 suicide jumps from the bridge . She was also seen wearing black shorts at times and may have been wearing glasses, said her father, Jay West. Even though 2/3 are started by women, Virtually every article is written by women. January 25, 2021 / 11:03 AM Im sorry to hear about all the pain youve been through. But I have. The memoir Half in Love: Surviving the Legacy of Suicide captures very well, to a painful degree, how someone who deeply loves their children can simultaneously feel pulled to end her life. SF]. Also Live Through This website has beautiful portraits (photographic but also in prose) of people who survived a suicide attempt. I blame myself 100% for her suicide. You note that installation of a suicide barrier at the Bloor Viaduct in Toronto merely caused people to go to other locations in Toronto to die by suicide. I am sure your mum will be watching over you, so sad that she caused you so much pain, please seek help, you are precious, with love xxx. For more information, please see our I've taken the Fenway Park Tour 3 times in my life. Each year I did They are doing a med wash and released me with no meds, and actually said if I come back, I will be admitted long term. In 2013, Briggs retired from the California Highway . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Sydney West's parents confirmed she was last seen on the Golden Gate Bridge. "We know that there was a lot of pedestrian, car and bicycle traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge the morning Sydney disappeared. "Folks that have seen anything that resembles Sydney, we really want to collect information.". A good place to start is the Facebook group Live Through This. Kevin Briggs - Wikipedia Sydney Kaitlyn West, 19, was last seen near the Golden Gate Bridge around 6:45 a.m. on September 30, 2020. This is perhaps why only one of Rhodes' three small parachutes opened, doing nothing to slow him down. Where Are They Now?: The Fate of Suicide Attempt Survivors It is true that. She is 5 10 tall and weighs 130 pounds. And they did for the Hollywood stuntmans attempt to sail off the Golden Gate Bridge on Feb. 6, 1948. Thank you for sharing, Stacy. His father had died by suicide and even though I knew all of this, I couldnt see the forest through the trees. According to Find Sydney West, there is a $25,000 reward for information that leads to finding Syd, who is described as 5'10 tall and about 130 pounds with blue eyes and blonde hair. / CBS San Francisco. Theyre asking anyone "who may have been walking, biking, running, who commute over the bridge particularly Wednesday mornings at that time" to share information if they might have seen West or anything that can help locate the missing teen. Camera footage has been reviewed and interviews have been conducted among West's friends and acquaintances, but there are no leads. So in a couple days with no vehicle no money and no job, Im just supposed to trudge on, because life is precious or whatever other placating device people Banty about? The instant regret of jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge did not result in instant mental health recovery once Hines survived. Obviously, I failed. It is important to note that there has been no activity on her phone, bank accounts, or social media accounts since Sept. 30. Video footage from the bridge has been carefully reviewed by investigators but due to foggy and smoky conditions camera views where obstructed making it impossible to tell her exact location on the bridge. Her family launched a website,findsydneywest.com, that they hope will remind the community Sydney is still missing.