Anyone in the Bay Area with any information regarding her disappearancecan contact Sgt. This is perhaps why only one of Rhodes' three small parachutes opened, doing nothing to slow him down. similar to cancer ads, etc. Challenges, extreme challenges. Stacey Freedenthal, PhD, LCSW, is the author of the books Helping the Suicidal Person: Tips and Techniques for Professionals and Loving Someone with Suicidal Thoughts: What Family, Friends, and Partners Can Say and Do. As I entered Oklahoa, something I like to think it was my Higher Powerinspired me to call my brother in Illinois and I ended up going in and out of treatment centers until I finally realized that Im an alcoholic and that there was hope for me. Her Disappearance: Sydney West was a 19-year-old freshman at U.C. I know someone who hanged themself 18 months ago after a buildup of personal problems and much alcohol that night, but rescue services were called and saved him. 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. I am a 60+ year old woman with four grown kids and six grandkids and when the darkness set in I could no longer see the effect this would have had on their lives. I hope you believe your words here, or at least are beginning to. I am very sorry for your loss. I said, Well, the night we met I got so drunk I passed out on the living room floor. And these different medications can be combined at various dosages. Thank you for contributing to the discussion. I was able to make it out of the hopelessness and despair that led to my attempt. I am a three time attempt suicide survivor and it has been a year since my last attempt and the ideation has pretty much left me. Dressed in a blue sweatshirt, leggings and Vans slip-on sneakers,. Learn how your comment data is processed. Its great to hear that things are going well for you now. And I got very drunk every time I drank after that, which was quite often. She replied, She probably figured she could fix you. This was the beginning of my recognition of the fact that I wasnt the horrible person I made myself out to be, in fact, my story is very much like a lot of alcoholics Ive met. In 2000, he actually did jump off the Golden Gate Bridge. Look at life this way Instead of allowing a human being to be a target almost like a bomb dropping on ringed target Simply flip the idea of all the violence and fear over..Draw a Large Heart then several hearts within Make a plan for dreams and plans Stick to it .. She had moved in with friends in San Francisco, where she was living when she disappeared. I saw the signs, the depression, his feelings of hopelessness, but somehow its easier to see the signs after it happens and not while you are in the throes of this emotional rollercoaster. You can learn more about me here. Im here. 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. Sometimes, life just sucks and the pain of living is unbearable. He traveled from L.A. to San Francisco days before the jump to prepare, and holed up in the Grand Southern Hotel on Mission Street with his cameraman to wait for a clear day so the footage would look beautiful when it was watched on news channels from coast to coast. I just got out two days ago. You definitely are not alone, and it does often feel good to be honest about suicidal thoughts to speak what many people consider to be the unspeakable. Keep pushing on. I used to believe my problems are so intractable that the only way out of my pain was suicide. The main principle to this is very simple Taking energy and harnessing it for the good and nothing can go wrong.. Wests parents confirmed in a new video released late Thursday she was last seen shortly before 7 a.m. on the Golden Gate Bridge. I interviewed her parents.https://t.co/tiBGM53NZz pic.twitter.com/lvHh2cCrZg. One desperate and hurt person to another. For his big ticket to stardom, Rhodes was inspired by a circus performer named Frank Cushing who was plucked out of the bay the previous year after claiming that he had just leaped from the bridge, though no one was there to see it. Shortly after 1 p.m. on March 8, San Francisco officials pulled the fully clothed body of a 56-year-old white man from the waves off secluded Marshall's Beach, just south of the Golden Gate Bridge. She took a ride-share service. 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. Thanks again. The longitude and latitude for the Bridge location is approximately: N 37 Degrees, 49 Minutes, 8.0 Seconds --- W 122 Degrees, 28 Minutes, 40.6 Seconds. This Walking Pad treadmill made getting 10,000 steps a How to get tickets for Depeche Mode's new tour dates. I wonder what psychotherapy he has tried. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. I pretended to have an awakening and successfully faked a born-again quality joy that warded off the idiotic, feeble attempts of others to help me. All 29 people who survived their suicide attempts off San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge have said they regretted their decision as soon as they jumped. Dec. 11, 2019 Updated: Dec. 12, 2019 8:06 a.m. 5. Sydney West was last seen near the Golden Gate Bridge in the early morning hours of Sept. 30, walking near Crissy Field. It may feel 100% true to him. Comments RSS Feed, My name is Denis and I live in England I am still recovering at the moment on 22nd of April 2020 I attempted to end my life I jumped off a 5 story carpark and survived I broke my left leg in 3 places and my right ankle in 6 places and my back in 2 places but I am lucky because I am recovering well and I can walk .people say its a mircle but I feel gulty because no one knew about the thoughts I was having for years because I did not tell any one to the outside world I was the life and soul of the party .I feel ashamed that now every one is worried about me and that is not what I wanted. :A Follow-up Study of Suicide Attempters fromthe Golden Gate Bridge.. Rhodes was estranged from his wife Lorraine, who lived in the East Bay in Port Chicago with their two kids, Rocky, 4, and Oowala, 9, but he made arrangements for her to witness the stunt, maybe in the hope that the feat would win her back. In 2000, he actually did jump off the Golden Gate Bridge. It is always wonderful to hear from someone who made it out to the other side. Indie Pop Star Michelle Lambert Kicks Off the Bankhead Courtyard Concert Series! The chances of surviving are less than 1.5%, and almost zero if the feet don't hit first. Thats why I searched for answers and I found this site. 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. It is important to note that there has been no activity on her phone, bank accounts, or social media accounts since Sept. 30. Dr. Freedenthal also is an associate professor at the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, and a psychotherapist and consultant in private practice. Thanks for sharing, Anne. A. I feel fortunate and very grateful that so many individuals take their time and devote energy to sharing what they have experienced in their lives-it is so difficult for most people to understand in its wholeness-the value of life ..the science of every day living and the extreme depth and mystery and solstice to human beings, but one way to start understanding why people: innocents commit suicide is to acknowlege the exact factors of why a healthy person would just turn off the switch to existence. It amazes me that the vast majority of suicides are by men, and virtually all of the articles about it are by women. She was carrying a black backpack and her light brown hair was pulled back into a bun. They then examine the demographic characteristics of those who commit suicide from the bridge as well as the fatal attraction of the Golden Gate Bridge. In February 2009, following the murder of a four-year-old girl who was thrown off the bridge by her father, the first stage of a temporary suicide barrier was erected on Westgate Bridge, constructed of concrete crash barriers topped with a welded mesh fence. After graduating high school in 2019, she decided to take a gap year in Australia. . (findsydneywest.com) West was last seen on the morning of Sept. 30 on the iconic bridge. She is an amazing musician. I lost my boyfriend to suicide two years ago and I have not been able to forgive myself. A vigil was held last week for West in Pleasanton. Thank you for reaching out to Joan and offering your support. I am sure your little self felt am I not lovable enough but it was never about you, your mum was in pain and obviously thought you would be better off without her, but it is not a reflection on you, hard to accept as children are programmed to feel the centre of the world. As well, though, I believe I may have accidentally given myself something like ECT. Also Live Through This website has beautiful portraits (photographic but also in prose) of people who survived a suicide attempt. What Dr. Seiden found is a remarkable testament to the fact that a suicidal crisis is often very often temporary. Privacy Policy. I want you to know you are loveable and precious. So it is with anything else, including suicidal thoughts. I still think about suicide, although not as often. Required fields are marked *. Her mother Kimberly West has said to a journalist The bridge was quite busy (that day). 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. For example, he may be telling himself that the way he feels and is now is the way he will feel and be forever. Maybe some of the posts on this site could be helpful to him? Have you read Whats In the Way Is the Way by Mary OMalley? Yet it gives me great hope that the vast majority of suicide attempt survivors remain just that survivors. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. When I woke up a day later, my depression had greatly improved. It turns out that I had, and still have, many misconceptions about myself and the people in encounter. Her disappearance was every parents worst nightmare. Hundreds more are stopped from harming themselves through the efforts of the Golden Gate Bridge District . Suicide isnt an option, keep telling yourself that. After he was rescued, he continued to live, and lives still, serving as a suicide prevention advocate at the national level. I am literally living day by day and full of guilt, regret and anger. He grew up in the Los Angeles area, went to UC Berkeley and has previously worked as a news reporter at USA Today and SFGATE and as a music writer at NPR. Those two have shown some effectiveness at reducing suicidal ideation and behavior. Her family is not giving up hope that she is still alive and remains determined to find her. 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. At least twelve hundred people have been seen jumping or have been found in the water since the bridge opened, in 1937, including Roy Raymond, the founder of Victoria's Secret, in 1993, and. Reports said West would often visit the bridge for runs, walks, and to take pictures. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. At the time, a made for TV movie, named Silence of the Heart came out. I tried commiting suicide and ended up brain dead Then after I got out of the coma, I was put in rehab for 11 months where I kept trying to break my neck and die because I missed my fiance so much (he wasnt allowed to visit me because he had attempted suicide with me too since he didnt want to live without me). Good luck to you, Joan. In the midst of a struggle with mental illness, Hines got a running start . I hope he is seeing a psychiatrist for his medications, not a PCP, because psychiatrists are much more well versed in the benefits, risks, side effects, etc. The Golden Gate net project is like putting a bandaid on an ulcer. January 25, 2021 / 11:03 AM And the children are adults now. 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. and our He had a gun in the house that he never used, was trying to sell, I didnt even think of it during this time. West, 20, grew up in Pleasanton, Calif. She was a star volleyball player at Foothill High School and loved singing at open mic nights. I tried to help her, I really did Except I didnt. The 265-foot plunge off the most famous bridge in the world was right in his wheelhouse, until it wasnt. What happens to them afterward? Sydneyhas light brown hair and blue eyes. He already had refused to get help or to stop drinking. SFGATE news editor Amy Graff contributed to this report. What do you tell the ones who still perceive they have no one how do I get through to him? Sydney West was last seen near the Golden Gate Bridge in the early morning hours of Sept. 30, walking near Crissy Field. Growing up Sydney was described as a sweet and goofy girl who wasnt afraid of being herself. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. He has no one else but me. But what about people like me? For example, upon hearing me take total responsibility for the failure of my first marriage a gifted woman who is a counselor and pastor said, I typically find that both parties share responsibility equally. It is wonderful that having children seems to have inoculated you against suicidal thoughts. You cant will people to live. Its impossible to know but something to consider, in case youre only considering the set of possibilities for which you blame yourself. In Toronto, the barrier at the Bloor Viaduct did not reduce the number of people who died of suicide by jumping in the city; it just moved them to other locations. Syd, Ive always loved you from the bottom of my heart, since the minute I saw your eyes open. 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. That is no way to live, but that is the reality. 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. The corpse was pulled from the water by the Coast Guard a mile from the bridge 20 minutes later. You might think that, once freed from the authority figures who prevented their suicide on the bridge, they still went on to by suicide. There are many people with children whose pain or distorted thinking overrides all else, in spite of their best wishes. Im about to be 22, medicated trying to live normal with constant suicidal thoughts. Someone may have seen something -- any piece of information could help lead us to Sydney," parents Kimberly and Jay West said in a joint statement. She was said to be very close with her family. This is certainly true for me: narcissistic mother and sister. 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%). The Golden Gate Bridge is the number one suicide site in the world. Here Are My Reasons. "We know that there was a lot of pedestrian, car and bicycle traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge the morning Sydney disappeared. In fact, Dusty told his friend to shoot from the bridge as it would be more dramatic, and besides, he would easily be able to swim to shore to a congratulatory, awestruck crowd of beach goers. I hope that he is able to get effective help, both psychologically and pharmaceutically. Simply put, means restriction saves lives. I wanted to distance myself from it as much as I could so that people would leave me alone. An estimated 1,600 people have committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge, which has warnings but no barrier. A jump off the Golden Gate Bridge takes around four seconds, during which a person will reach a speed of 80 mphbefore smashing into the water's surface like concrete. Woke up yesterday and realized I needed to make another pilgrimage before the series begins. Tears ago, when my children were younger, I actually reached a point where I went beyond imagining the trauma and lifelong suffering, to my children; such was my pain. Has left me pretty much bankrupt and not willing to live. Im sorry to hear of your loss Andrew Chamings is an editor at SFGATE. The story of Kevin Hines demonstrates the clarity that can finally appear when someones life is on the line. For me, the will to live kicked in. She attempted suicide three times and was in mental hospitals, etc. God will come through for you but you have to make an attempt. 2023 Audacy, Inc. All rights reserved. Sadly, your post is being used by some commenters to justify the Golden Gate Bridge net boondoggle. People are stupid. A $25,000 reward is being offered for anyone who has information that leads to her return. Press J to jump to the feed. Kevin Briggs. The decision collapsed Rhodes sister's claim that her brother was murdered as cameraman Guzman should have been in a boat to pull her brother out of the water. Have had lots of therapy after that. Sydneyhas not used her phone, social media or bank accounts since she disappeared. My failure as a person was responsible for my extreme step. Copyright 2013-2023 Stacey Freedenthal. At 10 o'clock in the morning, Ken. He completed the challenge and won himself a taxi ride to New York. Being a freshman and isolated on campus due to the COVID pandemic was hard for West, her family said. Sergeant Kevin Briggs (also known as the Guardian of the Golden Gate Bridge [1] [2]) is a California Highway Patrol officer noted for his work in suicide intervention, having dissuaded more than two hundred people from jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco Bay. She is described as a white female, 5'10" and weighing about 130 pounds. Im recommending this because of your sense that you could have stopped the suicide from happening if you hadnt been so stupid, as you so painfully put it. Saving Lives at the Golden Gate Bridge. If prior research is any indication, the barrier will save lives, even when taking into account people who go elsewhere to die by suicide. Have you found commonality in your suicidal patients? Her parents,Jay and Kimberly West,said their daughter liked visiting that bridge and would go to nearby Crissy Field to exercise. "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. Afterward, I was disgusted and angry. In the midst of a struggle with mental illness, Hines got a running start . Until then, that instinct may have been obscured by depression, stress, hopelessness or despair. Not having the courage to fulfill my plan, I checked into treatment centers and each time I checked out I sank into suicidal depression again. Maybe in order to evade authorities who had refused permission to allow the jump legally 18 months earlier, he removed the weighted boots that were intended to keep him upright during the plunge. They lied about every imaginable factor of surviving in life. West was last seen on the Golden Gate Bridge onSept. 30, 2020 just before 7 a.m., according to the San Francisco Police Department. And now Ive been out of rehab for 5 months and its weird because all a sudden everything is going my way now. I worry almost everyday that Ill maim myself again and not die. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, and was last seen wearing a sweatshirt, dark-colored shorts and blue Vans sneakers. I hope you can find peace within. I often think that if we are going to make up what we tell ourselves about our future, we might at least make it good. I am dead broke, have exhausted both my savings and retirement stash, I am about to have my car repod and cant find a job. Hi Joan. We are going to keep looking.. How many of the survivors were so injured by the attempt that they were unable to complete the act? Construction of the Golden Gate Bridge suicide net, a coarse web of steel designed to catch and cradle people who jump, is two years behind . This case has always stuck with me because I am in my 20s and suffer from anxiety and depression. And now I have the means to do it. What happens is if you dont kill yourself you spend the rest of your life being told you didnt mean it. The West family has also upped its reward for her return to $25,000. Another possibility is that the instinct to live kicks in once someone comes close to dying. In 2013, 118 potential jumpers were talked down from their attempts and did not jump. There was a 44% increase in jumping suicides per year at nearby sites (95% CI 15% to 81%), but the net gain was a 28% reduction in all jumping suicides per year in the study cities (95% CI 13% to 40%).. Watching "The Bridge" -- a new documentary that captures 23 suicide jumps from the bridge . Background: Sydney West was born on July 11, 2001. Once her gap year was over, she moved back to California decided to attend U.C. The tragedy of suicide is indisputable. We talked for a long time. Email: Andrew.Chamings@sfgate.com | Twitter: @AndrewChamings. China sets this year's economic growth target at 'around 5%', Year after the slap, Chris Rock punches back in new special, Biden's Selma visit puts spotlight back on voting rights, Trump pitches a sequel, but shies away from attacking rivals, 20 cars of Norfolk Southern cargo train derail in Ohio, Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 19; 3 still missing, Athlete dead in shipwreck left Pakistan to help disabled son, China expands defense budget 7.2%, marking slight increase, Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway and husband are divorcing, Teen hikers rescued after days stuck in California snowstorm. Such an assumption would be wrong. We remain hopeful that someone knows something that will be helpful in finding her.. Im sorry to hear about all the pain youve been through. Say someone wants to die by suicideso badly that they go to the Golden Gate Bridge to jump off. Police do not necessarily believe there was foul play involved, according to an interview Rueca had with KRON4. First published on January 25, 2021 / 11:03 AM. I fantasize a lot about suicide. These findings are consistent with other studies that have looked at method substitution, which can occur when one suicide method is made unavailable and people substitute it with another. . The persons reasons for dying may begin to fade. 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. My hope for others feeling like that is they tell someone who can help them. That changes things. The most intuitive reason is that suicidal crises are, by their nature, temporary. The bridge is 225 feet high, and after a four-second fall, jumpers hit the water at a speed of 75mph, with a force equivalent to a lorry crashing into a wall. I understand completely. Your comments are false. Footage in the area, according to a website the family recently set up in light of her disappearance, was blocked by fog and morning haze. I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. Her family relocated to North Carolina in July 2017. I put up a front so my kids wont end up the same way. On the morning of September 30, 2020, Sydney took a ride share service to the Golden Gate Bridge, where she often went to jog, practice yoga, and exercise in nearby Crissy Field. My passion for helping suicidal people stems from my own lived experience with suicidality and suicide loss. Anyone with information about Sydneys whereabouts is asked to contact private investigator Scott Dudek by texting or calling 925-705-8328. She was last seen wearing a light teal hoodie, dark leggings, and slip-on vans sneakers with dark green and black print. BERKELEY, CA The parents of Sydney "Syd" West, a missing person who was previously a University of California, Berkeley student, have divulged new details in her case and are asking anyone with information to come forward. Sure if youve got someone/s to bail you out after your attempt, yeah youve got a reason to live. Children are a major reason for living for many people who battle suicidal thoughts. "Jump." That's the word Kevin Hines heard in his head on September 25, 2000, as he stood on the Golden Gate Bridge. I am a survivor as well of rape and spousal abuse, Am feeling empowered today, thanks to you. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Her family launched a website,findsydneywest.com, that they hope will remind the community Sydney is still missing. In this clinical case conference, the authors begin by presenting vignettes to capture the diversity of bridge suicide. Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). The instant regret of jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge did not result in instant mental health recovery once Hines survived. 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. He had lost two fingers in a knife fight on the set of the movie "Scarface." What % of those people were financially ruined (ie dead broke) with no job or no home? West had just gone off to college to her dream school, University of California Berkeley. My advice to you or to those considering suicide or attempted suicide, please THINK of your loved one, your family and friends. She is 5 10 tall and weighs 130 pounds. Now I dont know if I can fight it, but coping with failure and constant depression is impossible. I am so glad my attempt did not end in my death. Obviously, I failed. We talked a lot about loving each other. "No detail is too small," said her mother, Kimberly West. Thanks again for your thoughtful comment. She was a student at Donlon Elementary and Hart Middle schools and attended Foothill High School for her freshman and sophomore years. 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. Your email address will not be published. I think this message needs to be made more clear and put in ads, etc. what can I do. Overall, a meta-analysis of numerous studies that looked at bridges suicide barriers found them to be effective. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Any suggestions? It's not hard to kill yourself at the Golden Gate bridge. This research, though 35 years old, still holds true. 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. 2023 Audacy, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Upon its completion in 1937, it was the tallest and longest suspension bridge in the world. Its not always a change of mind when deciding not to jump its fear of failure, Hi Londa, There is a strength within you. But I have. And its been a long term plan, for 35 years, but become refined in that time. I died that day too. I will just speak it: Their lies destroyed me and there is no one on earth greater than you and those you love and want to protect. Part of Audacy. She was, for a period of time, carrying a black backpack that she frequently used to get around town. Search within r/redsox. 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. Where Are They Now? A missing person case has also been launched in Orange County, North Carolina, where West's family lives. T he Golden Gate Bridge is one of the top suicide sites in the world, surpassed only by the Yangtze River Bridge in Nanjing, China.People have jumped off of the bridge for nearly as long as it's been accessible to the public; the first recorded suicide a World War I veteran suspected to have suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder took place less than three months after the .
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did sydney west jump off the golden gate bridge