The corpse was pulled from the water by the Coast Guard a mile from the bridge 20 minutes later. YEAH? His passing causes lots of pain, sadness and changed others lives entirely. 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. West is 5'10" and slender at 130 pounds, with blue eyes and light brown hair. Dayna. 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 good place to start is the Facebook group Live Through This. It was apparently very foggy that morning. I would bet that most, if not all, had narcissistic mothers. Any suggestions? I said, Well, the night we met I got so drunk I passed out on the living room floor. Challenges, extreme challenges. I wonder if you might benefit from talking with like-minded folks at ChronicSuicideSupport.com. Those two have shown some effectiveness at reducing suicidal ideation and behavior. SF]. I knew then that I would never try it again. Berkeley when she went missing on September 30, 2020. A jump off the Golden Gate Bridge takes around four seconds, during which a person will reach a speed of 80 mph before smashing into the water's surface like concrete. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The attempt was no cry for help. Anyone interested in following the investigation may do so on Facebook or Instagram, and tag posts with #FindSydneyWest. After the war, people were looking for entertainment in 1940's San Francisco, but TVs were not yet common in homes, public hangings were history and the 49ers hadnt joined the NFL yet. She was a student at Donlon Elementary and Hart Middle schools and attended Foothill High School for her freshman and sophomore years. But what if you dont want help? West vanished Sept. 30 in San Francisco. 10 Reasons Teens Avoid Telling Parents about Suicidal Thoughts. I once attributed that simply to having realized I wanted to live and (narrowly) surving my attempt. I supported her desire to stop taking her medication. Her parents thanked others for the love and support, and asked people to continue spreading the word by sharing photos and memories of their daughter on social media. But he didnt and will never know that what he had actually solved only his own problem- feeling/depression. I was able to make it out of the hopelessness and despair that led to my attempt. The chances of surviving are less than 1.5%, and almost zero if the feet don't hit first. For more information, please see our 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. She was struggling with depression for years. Ken Baldwin. He has no one else but me. Its sad how much youve suffered, and its inspirational how differently you feel right now. For me, the will to live kicked in. Golden Gate Bridge | History, Construction, & Facts | Britannica According to her family, a private investigator has followed up on dozens of tips, but none have led to West's whereabouts. Email: joshua.bote@sfgate.com and Signal: 707-742-3756, Six months after student's disappearance in San Francisco, family continues search, Horoscope for Saturday, 3/04/23 by Christopher Renstrom, Snowboarder dies at Tahoe ski resort following historic blizzard, West I-80 closed near Tahoe due to snow and 'multiple spinouts', Wife of Jeffrey Vandergrift issues somber update, Even Salesforces tower HQ isnt safe from office cuts, Inside Harry and Meghans favorite In-N-Out, Horoscope for Friday, 3/03/23 by Christopher Renstrom, Massive Lake Tahoe waterfront compound slashes price by $20M, This beloved East Bay hybrid cafe and bike shop is closing, Ja Morant says he'll get help after video shows apparent gun. Obviously, I failed. Perfectly so. You provide inspiration to others who still are stuck in that hopelessness and despair. Friends and family may rally to their side. All rights reserved. For suicidal individuals and their loved ones, survivors, mental health professionals, & others who care, Although severe depression led him to jump off the bridge, Kevin Hines, Yet it gives me great hope that the vast majority of suicide attempt survivors remain just that survivors. 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. West may have been wearing dark leggings, blue Vans shoes and a teal sweatshirt at the time of her disappearance. I fully expected to talk to her the next day, Jay West told KRON4. And the children are adults now. Edit: FAQs https://findsydneywest.com/faq, https://www.pollyklaas.org/missing-children/sydney-west/, 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/. She was last seen around 6:45 am when she was dropped off by a rideshare driver. I hope you can find peace within. I recently lost a good friend to suicide. She was last seen in long, dark leggings, a teal hooded sweatshirt and slip-on Vans in a dark green and black print. Good luck to you, Joan. I know that this surprises many people. But then they are stopped from jumping. Her father grew worried when she didnt call the next day the day she was last spotted in San Francisco. I cant get beyond the pain. And there ended Rhodes four-years-in-the-making attempt to wow crowds and find fame by jumping from the bridge into the bay. I live with a higher purpose now, but prior to my children I went through hell and constantly entertained the thought of killing myself. There is not much known about the day Sydney disappeared. 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 .. Trackback URL I dont understand why things are suddenly going so well for me though.. Youd think karma would hit me and make my life way worse but I guess the universe wants me alive for some reason? My overdose gave me seizures. So it is with anything else, including suicidal thoughts. Taking into account suicides that might have been missed by researchers, Dr. Seiden stated that 90% of people who tried to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge did not go on to die by suicide. Suicides Mounting, Golden Gate Looks to Add a Safety Net Ive been hospitalized 4 times in the past 6 weeks, after my 9th suicide attempt. "We know that there was a lot of pedestrian, car and bicycle traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge the morning Sydney disappeared. what can I do. That's a mind-blowing statement. All theses years following, I did not feel good about myself, am reunited with my nephew, reading up on how to talk to him. According to San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) her family reported her missing two days after she was last seen on Oct 2, 2020. They're asking anyone "who may have been walking, biking, running, who commute over the bridge particularly Wednesday mornings at that time" to share information. And they did for the Hollywood stuntmans attempt to sail off the Golden Gate Bridge on Feb. 6, 1948. For those who are thinking about suicide, I know what happens after youre gone isnt part of the thought process, but believe me, you might end your pain, but the trajectory of pain caused to others is also insurmountable. As well, though, I believe I may have accidentally given myself something like ECT. "We have a lot of people that are asking us for information.". Suicide needs to be addressed from many angles, of which means restriction is only one. I am resigned to staying alive until I die in some other way. Since Sept. 30, there has been no activity on her phone or credit cards. Its death toll has since been surpassed only by the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge in China.. But in reality, he cant know what the future holds. Additionally, Hines takes medication and . West returned to the Bay Area for college at UC Berkeley after her family moved from Pleasanton to North Carolina several years ago. Dealing with the guilt is the hardest thing I have ever dealt with. I attempted when I was a teenager. Camera footage has been reviewed and interviews have been conducted among West's friends and acquaintances, but there are no leads. 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. 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). 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. There are many people with children whose pain or distorted thinking overrides all else, in spite of their best wishes. Thank you for providing this site. One desperate and hurt person to another. 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. Hello Tony, so sorry for my belated response. Six months after student's disappearance in San Francisco - SFGATE It was in 1984. But what about people like me? You might be helped by connecting with other people who have attempted suicide and can understand not only what can lead a person to do that, but also what comes after. The night before she disappeared (Sept. 29) she and her father Jay West had a lengthy phone conversation according to her family. January 25, 2021 / 11:03 AM While at Berkeley she joined the rowing team and showed a strong interest in medicine, business, and biological science. Pandora I still think about suicide, although not as often. I mean how long can I go ahead. Kevin Briggs - Wikipedia A missing person case has also been launched in Orange County, North Carolina, where West's family lives. 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%).. Reach out to someone, anyone because I can tell you they have no idea how you feel. There were probably signs that you had a drinking problem from the very beginning. It was a startling revelation. He might also have refused to remove the gun from the home, too. At this point I feel like Ill just maim myself or end up locked up for a minimum of six months( yes thats happened to me). Police do not necessarily believe there was foul play involved, according to an interview Rueca had with KRON4. It is wonderful that having children seems to have inoculated you against suicidal thoughts. I just need time to tidy up affairs, belongings, finances, assemble the plan. The chances of surviving. Horrified spectators screamed and mothers covered their childrens eyes as Chief Sundowns lifeless body bobbed under the bridge and out to sea. A view of the Golden Gate Bridge with San Francisco behind it in January 1947. I am suicidal have been for the past week. The Golden Gate net project is like putting a bandaid on an ulcer. Dusty thought he could do the same but let everyone see it, and so employed the services of his pal, Hollywood cameraman Jose Guzman, to capture the jump on film. I feel if I constantly feel like this over the years why dont I just die now? Simply put, means restriction saves lives. Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). Sydney is considered at risk due to depression, said SFPD Officer Robert Rueca to KRON4. 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." The details of your life will, of course, be different but we have our humanness in common. similar to cancer ads, etc. The suicide barrier on the Sydney Harbour Bridge simply rerouted jumpers to a cliff popularly known as The Gap. But the cameras lost sight of her because of heavy fog, making it impossible to know what happened toher. I think this message needs to be made more clear and put in ads, etc. Others need to respect the decision. Leads continue to come in, her parents said. It certainly sounds like your friends antidepressants are not working. 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. 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. Hines, who suffers from bipolar disorder, survived a jump from San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge in 2000. Even though 2/3 are started by women, Virtually every article is written by women. In the midst of a struggle with mental illness, Hines got a running start . West was born in Walnut Creek and lived briefly in Castro Valley before her family moved to Pleasanton. 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. If you really love someone, please open up to them, share your feelings and talk to someone, suicide will never be the solution to any problem but creating pain to your loved one. Car plunges off California elevated highway, 3 people killed. Have had lots of therapy after that. Her family launched a website,findsydneywest.com, that they hope will remind the community Sydney is still missing. And for most of those whose lives were saved, life goes on for many more years to come. About his dads suicide, your article helping me a lot to help. West's parents are asking anyone who may have been commuting or exercising on the bridge to come forward with anything they may have seen. User account menu. Here I thought I just occasionally drank too much. Maybe some of the posts on this site could be helpful to him? That is so sad, Julie. This is perhaps the best argument for preventing suicide. Even for people who passionately wish and perhaps even need (for health reasons) to lose weight, they do not always prevail. Her Disappearance: Sydney West was a 19-year-old freshman at U.C. He managed to turn himself upright in the few seconds it took for him to hit the water; this way, he did not land on his head. Golden Gate Bridge suicide barrier: Controversy and cost over a life saver. 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. I am a suicide survivor from India. When I woke up a day later, my depression had greatly improved. Thanks again. I worry almost everyday that Ill maim myself again and not die. 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. 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. 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. True or false is a perception that changes from person to person. The. As 6 months passes where we have not seen or heard fromSydney, it becomes increasingly painful, her parents, Jay and Kimberly West, said in a statement provided to SFGATE. I am hopeful that similar results will be found after the suicide barrier at the Golden Gate bridge is in place. Being a freshman and isolated on campus due to the COVID pandemic was hard for West, her family said. 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. So when crazy people did crazy things in public places, excited crowds would gather. A. They have a good, nonjudgmental, and supportive discussions at ChronicSuicideSupport.com/forum/. Her mother Kimberly West has said to a journalist The bridge was quite busy (that day). Missing Ex-Cal Student Last Seen On Golden Gate Bridge