Today’s post isn’t funny – in fact it’s quite serious.
It’s about The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and the sad reality of how it’s used as means for Suicide.
There has even been a book written about this titled The beautiful bridge of death: Accounts of those who died, or nearly died, in falls from the Golden Gate Bridge.
If you’ve had a chance to walk across The Golden Gate Bridge, you would appreciate the fantastic views of the San Francisco skyline and the island of Alcatraz – assuming that there is no fog smothering the entire region that day.
However, you would definitely see one of these Suicide prevention signs placed next to a phonebox at regular intervals along The Golden Gate Bridge:
Well I guess jumping 100 metres off a bridge may cause some minor bruising.
However, I wasn’t prepared to actually see someone try and do this while I was walking over the bridge. I walked past a couple of policeman who were talking towards Alcatraz, when I realised that they were talking someone who had scaled the fence, threatening to jump off The Golden Gate Bridge.
I could hear the officers saying ‘Don’t do it, it’s not worth it – come back over and we can talk about it. We can help you out.’
The presence of this man created a scene where a number of patrol boats were alerted, and hence were circling below the potential drop zone under The Golden Gate Bridge – ready to perform a rescue (or most likely, body retrieval) if required.
I felt quite ill because I thought the guy might jump – and hence, I would witness a terrible Suicide. However, after I had walked tens of metres further on, he was still talking.
After half an hour, he climbed back over the fence to safety. I have a photo of him on the edge of the bridge just before he finished the almost hour long threat of jumping (check the centre of the photo).
It made me think – what drove this man to almost take his life?
I felt sad that society had let this man down to the point where he thought he was worthless and wanted to end it all on The Golden Gate Bridge.
Here’s a tip.
If you are feeling really crap, don’t hesitate to call your local crisis line.
People are there to try and help you. You just need to ask for it.
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Twitter: digisol3
Says:
December 15th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
People can and will find a way to end their lives no matter what and often creatively. I had a close uncle who suffered from schizophrenia and managed to take his life by jumping off of the BAY BRIDGE. I see no need in wasting money on an ultimately useless barrier for the Golden Gate Bridge. Why not utilize the proposed $50 million on our underserved mental health care system? Because, barrier or not, determined folks will certainly utilize something else be it a gun, rope, razor, carbon monoxide, etc… Don’t blame the bridge – blame the disease.
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Twitter: harveyflea
Says:
March 2nd, 2010 at 1:51 am
Sorry the comment I meant for this post wound up on the one below it …
Anyways, I was saying that – I find I incredibly sad that anyone could come to the belief that their life is without value, especially in the midst of so much beauty. It reminds me of the reports of how people would watch Avatar, then go out and kill themselves because the real world looks to blah compared to Pandora.
Your life is worth a lot. There ARE people who care about you.
Dalan´s last blog ..Harvey Flea’s Morrocan Spicecapade
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March 3rd, 2010 at 1:55 pm
My father just called to tell me that my younger brother jumped from this bridge within the last day or so. Suicide is a selfish thing, that leaves everyone else left behind to pick up the peaces. My brother needed help and refused it, he often threatened to kill himself to get attetion. The last we had heard from him was that he was in mental hospital in Oregan, how he got back to San fransico we may never know. I now half to tell my mother, who has bad depression and pray she does not fallow. I love the boy the brother was, I hate the disease that distroyed him. As a child I crossed this bridge to move up in girl scouts, my memories will be forever tarnished. Please God forgive my brother for this horrible sin, he new not what he was doing.
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anthony Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 3:35 pm
I’m so sorry to hear this Brennan. I found it disturbing watching the experience I wrote about and wanted to show the realities of what goes on. My thoughts are with your family.
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Dalan
Twitter: harveyflea
Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 3:42 pm
Wow, Brennan. So totally sorry to hear about that. There are no words in the whole lexicon of English to say how tragic this news is for you and your family. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.
Once again to anthony, thanks for posting this important article. Maybe you will save some lives.
Dalan´s last blog ..Harvey Flea’s Morrocan Spicecapade
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A Caring Heart Reply:
March 3rd, 2010 at 4:44 pm
Brennan ~ My condolences to you and your family at this time of loss and saddness. I can not imagine what your family is going through. I feel somewhat of a connection to you in that my husband was one of the responding CHP Officers at the scence. Your family had been in ours prayers since my husband told us of this tragedy last night. I am so sorry
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caring christian Reply:
May 4th, 2010 at 11:54 am
On 5/1/10 about late afternoon, I and people in my church witnessed a man who was hanging on the side of the bridge. The cops were trying to talk him out of it. It was passed 3 hours and he was still standing on the side of the bridge in the water side. We left and didn’t know what happened after.
If that was your brother, was he wearing blue jeans and red and white jacket? He has dark hair.
I’m so sorry to hear if that was your brother. May God be with you and comfort you.
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SB Reply:
May 13th, 2010 at 9:27 am
I was there on 5/1/10. It was a beautiful afternoon. I have been wondering what happened. It’s been bothering me. Did he live?
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March 3rd, 2010 at 4:43 pm
Brennan ~ My condolences to you and your family at this time of loss and saddness. I can not imagine what your family is going through. I feel somewhat of a connection to you in that my husband was one of the responding CHP Officers at the scence. Your family had been in ours prayers since my husband told us of this tragedy last night. I am so sorry.
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March 5th, 2010 at 4:24 am
Thank you all for the prayers
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May 5th, 2010 at 10:24 am
maybe because, there are a lot of emotional people who ended their lives here, the height of the bridge and the water around it, will never let you live.
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May 10th, 2010 at 8:28 am
WOW, I just was at the big Girl Scout Golden gate bridging event yesterday and that is how I stumbled upon this post. I just want to say that you do have good memories of crossing the bridge with Girl Scouts and hopefully you keep those same good memories forever! I am so sorry for your loss as I lost my brother to his terrible mental state and his not having the right mental help, which so many do not. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.
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July 29th, 2010 at 1:55 am
Sorry to hear about the loss. Is this a bridge of the dead? I just hope and pray that the relatives of those who died on this bridge will somehow overcome their bad memories on it. I hope that they will still the wonderful views on it. It’s a wonderful spot after all.
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August 6th, 2010 at 8:07 am
The last time I walked the Golden Gate must have been before they put those signs up. It’s fascinating that so many use this bridge to end their lives, but very sad. I saw the documentary movie about it and it’s just hard to believe someone could bring themselves to do it.
Ross recently posted..The Side Effects of Success
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August 19th, 2010 at 10:11 pm
“Suicide is not chosen; it happens
when pain exceeds
resources for coping with pain.”
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August 21st, 2010 at 3:16 am
Living in the bay area, I read news stories about this all too often. It is very tragic and rips my heart out. I had not seen the sign the last time I was on the bridge, I am glad to know its there and hope that it helps or causes some people to rethink their decision.
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