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. Her mother Kimberly West has said to a journalist The bridge was quite busy (that day). The suicide barrier on the Sydney Harbour Bridge simply rerouted jumpers to a cliff popularly known as The Gap. I tried to help her, I really did Except I didnt. The chances of surviving are less than 1.5%, and almost zero if the feet don't hit first. Thanks for sharing your story here. San Francisco police and the Orange County Sheriffs Office in North Carolina did not immediately respond to a request for comment from SFGATE. We dont like living in pain, and we look for ways of ending that pain and, being creatures of habit, we do it in old familiar ways because thats what we know. I pray tonight. Woke up yesterday and realized I needed to make another pilgrimage before the series begins. Syd, Ive always loved you from the bottom of my heart, since the minute I saw your eyes open. At 11:45 a.m. on Sept. 20, 2013 Kyle Gamboa stopped his truck in the middle of the highway, stepped out, ran onto the pedestrian walkway and jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge to his death. She was last seen in long, dark leggings, a teal hooded sweatshirt and slip-on Vans in a dark green and black print. It is true that suicide sometimes defies even the best efforts to thwart it. They would split the profits from the film 50/50. 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.. According to San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) her family reported her missing two days after she was last seen on Oct 2, 2020. Berkeley when she went missing on September 30, 2020. Dear Anthony, [feb.6.2019 @9.26am]. She grew up in Pleasanton, CA and then moved to Chapel Hill, NC with her family during high school. The Golden Gate net project is like putting a bandaid on an ulcer. I cant get beyond the pain. Try convincing someone like me that life is worth it. Life really sucked and so did I. I blamed myself for everything that was wrong and then some. Her Disappearance: Sydney West was a 19-year-old freshman at U.C. Others need to respect the decision. West is 5'10" and slender at 130 pounds, with blue eyes and light brown hair. That changes things. Press J to jump to the feed. Lets get real here life sucks and its hard but dont give up. Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Golden Gate lacks a suicide barrier . It is believed that she had moved out of the dorms into an apartment with some friends near campus. She was said to be very close with her family. In 2000, he actually did jump off the Golden Gate Bridge. 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. 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. But it was my final stay at a state mental hospital when I began reading a book that finally spoke to me: Dying for a Drink, and for the first time in my life I recognized the fact that I was an alcoholic and that I had been treating major depression with a depressant. Man Survives Suicide Jump From Golden Gate Bridge - ABC News 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. I wish everyone could receive this gift, and I am grateful that you and others have done so! Anyone in the Bay Area with any information regarding her disappearancecan contact Sgt. Here I thought I just occasionally drank too much. 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. Keep pushing on. He has no one else but me. Enter your email address to receive notifications by email of new posts. In 2000, he actually did jump off the Golden Gate Bridge. The Suicide Deterrent System, also known as the Safety Net, is being constructed to keep people from jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. People are stupid. According to her family, a private investigator has followed up on dozens of tips, but none have led to West's whereabouts. Sydney Harbour Bridge has a suicide prevention barrier. 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. 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. . 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. Disappearance of Sydney West : r/UnresolvedMysteries - reddit We remain hopeful that someone knows something that will be helpful in finding her.. I put up a front so my kids wont end up the same way. 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. So when crazy people did crazy things in public places, excited crowds would gather. Has he tried cognitive behavior therapy? She talked to herfather on the phone the day before shewent missing. As of 2013, it is estimated that 34 people have survived after jumping. Im sorry youre feeling so bad that your suicide seems, to you, to be inevitable. This is a terribly hard process, and I hope that youre able to get help and support from others. The family of a Sydney West, a 19-year-old Pleasanton native and former Foothill High School student, is again asking the public for any information about their daughters whereabouts leading up to her disappearance last month in San Francisco. A little over four years ago I couldnt see an end to the emotional pain and despair I felt and became obsessed with thoughts of killing myself: another failed marriage, another lost job, another lost home, my girlfriend left me and just as we seemed to be getting back together died of a stroke. Find Sydney West: Bay Area college student missing for nearly 1 year After graduating high school in 2019, she decided to take a gap year in Australia. In fact, the increase in suicides at other locations in Toronto did not make up for the dramatic decrease in suicides at the viaduct itself. Or, at least, balanced! 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. The four-second fall from the Golden Gate Bridge sends a person plunging 245 feet (75 m) at 75 miles per hour (121 km/h) to . I meant it, and I almost succeeded. If you enjoyed this article, subscribe now to receive more just like it. And now I have the means to do it. 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? 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. Golden Gate Bridge suicide nets delayed two years, as people keep jumping Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Get your suicides here, folks | Movies | The Guardian All clues so far, the family has revealed, have not been fruitful. Police do not necessarily believe there was foul play involved, according to an interview Rueca had with KRON4. For me, the will to live kicked in. I died that day too. 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. But the other day I told him that and now hes moving in with me again so my life is going good again! Wests parents said they have now hired a private investigator who is working with the San Francisco Police Department and Orange County (North Carolina) Sheriffs Department. After all, they were intent on dying. Her family launched a website,findsydneywest.com, that they hope will remind the community Sydney is still missing. Sydney Kaitlyn West, 19, was last seen near the Golden Gate Bridge around 6:45 a.m. on September 30, 2020. The Bridge (2006 documentary film) - Wikipedia Anyone with information is asked to contact private investigator Scott Dudek at (925) 705-8328 or Dudek.associates@gmail.com. My failure as a person was responsible for my extreme step. Camera footage has been reviewed and interviews have been conducted among West's friends and acquaintances, but there are no leads. Anyone interested in following the investigation may do so on Facebook or Instagram, and tag posts with #FindSydneyWest. 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. The tragedy of suicide is indisputable. 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. True or false is a perception that changes from person to person. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. A $25,000 reward is being offered for anyone who has information that leads to her return. SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) The family of a UC Berkeley freshman who disappeared last September has offered a $10,000 reward for information in connection with the case. My family lied to me about basically everything relevant and valuable in life. But as long as your solution is to kill yourself , you wont see them even if theyre right in front of you. Its agonizing to lose someone you love to suicide, and you describe that agony very powerfully. She failed at killing herself and learned a different process of questions to see her feelings. She was last seen wearing a light teal hoodie, dark leggings, and slip-on vans sneakers with dark green and black print. Had she jumped somebody definitely would have noticed, and it would've been caught on CCTV (the cameras are placed on light poles so fog does not block). 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. Come home.. Thank you for contributing to the discussion. I think it could be helpful to you. . suicide sometimes defies even the best efforts to thwart it, University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, http://www.SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources/#immediatehelp, If Only: Self-Blame After a Loved Ones Suicide, You Cant Do Everything: Limitations in Helping a Suicidal Person, a meta-analysis of numerous studies that looked at bridges suicide barriers, Generally, research into method substitution, 10 Things Not to Say to a Suicidal Person. I was driving toward the Hoover Dam bypass bridge from Memphis over 4 years ago to jump off. Sydneyhas not used her phone, social media or bank accounts since she disappeared. It is wonderful that having children seems to have inoculated you against suicidal thoughts. He says he fully expected to speak with her the next day and became very worried when she didnt return multiple calls from him. ChiMaxx, thank you for writing and for raising important points in your comment. Suicide Deterrent Net | Golden Gate So they dont die, but continue miserable lives wishing for it to be over. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. He had a gun in the house that he never used, was trying to sell, I didnt even think of it during this time. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Learn how your comment data is processed. Golden Gate Bridge | History, Construction, & Facts | Britannica The story of Kevin Hines demonstrates the clarity that can finally appear when someones life is on the line. They understand the battle with weight loss and a zillion other things but not suicide. You can find a life worth living, too, if you set your mind to finding solutions. 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. The San Francisco Police Department's tip line can be reached at 415-575-4444. In the 1970s, a researcher named Richard Seiden wanted to find out what happened to 515 people who came to the Golden Gate Bridge to die within the previous 35 years, but who were stopped by California Highway Patrol officers. One desperate and hurt person to another. I interviewed her parents.https://t.co/tiBGM53NZz pic.twitter.com/lvHh2cCrZg. For example, he may be telling himself that the way he feels and is now is the way he will feel and be forever. Sydneys father believes that there is someone that may have seen something. 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. There were probably signs that you had a drinking problem from the very beginning. It was a startling revelation. Golden Gate Bridge, suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate in California to link San Francisco with Marin county to the north. She struggled with being so far away from her parents and sister, who reside in North Carolina. She took a ride-share service. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. But what if you dont want help? And its been a long term plan, for 35 years, but become refined in that time. Family of Sydney West, missing UC Berkeley student, renews search 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. Someone mustve seen something nothing is being ruled out. Her family has stated that she enjoyed the area around the Golden Gate Bridge, and it was not unlike her to take pictures and go for a walk or run. Here Are My Reasons. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, and was last seen wearing a sweatshirt, dark-colored shorts and blue Vans sneakers. 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. What happens is if you dont kill yourself you spend the rest of your life being told you didnt mean it. Any suggestions? He has visited mental hospitals several times since his jump. More often than not, the crisis passes. According to her family, a private investigator has followed up on dozens of. SF]. This is perhaps the best argument for preventing suicide. Berkeley. 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. I am not sure anybody really wants to die but I know many people, including myself, who are just sick and tired of living and want it to be over. I hope you can find peace within. That is so sad, Julie. 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. Background: Sydney West was born on July 11, 2001. I tried by drinking mosquito poison. She was carrying a black backpack and her light brown hair was pulled back into a bun.