did sydney west jump off the golden gate bridge did sydney west jump off the golden gate bridge

I attempted when I was a teenager. "Together we will find Sydney and bring her home," her mother said. Anyone in the Bay Area with any information regarding her disappearancecan contact Sgt. 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. People are stupid. It is true that suicide sometimes defies even the best efforts to thwart it. 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. Have had lots of therapy after that. But overall, the evidence is that prevention is not simply a temporary delay of death. Others need to respect the decision. All theses years following, I did not feel good about myself, am reunited with my nephew, reading up on how to talk to him. The West family has also upped its reward for her return to $25,000. Her family still has hope that they will one day find her. But as long as your solution is to kill yourself , you wont see them even if theyre right in front of you. I wonder what psychotherapy he has tried. I wonder if you might benefit from talking with like-minded folks at ChronicSuicideSupport.com. I couldnt pull all the way. Please enter valid email address to continue. I tried to commit suicide when I was 18. I know how hard it is. Anyone with information is asked to call 415-575-4444. Her Disappearance: Sydney West was a 19-year-old freshman at U.C. "Syd," as she liked to be called, was initially thought to have last been seen or heard from early the morning of September 30 in the Crissy Field area. Too, people who attempt suicide may receive the help they need afterwards. Sydney Kaitlyn West, 19, was last seen near the Golden Gate Bridge around 6:45 a.m. on September 30, 2020. It happens. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. My passion for helping suicidal people stems from my own lived experience with suicidality and suicide loss. Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). and the evidence around them is not good. Thanks again for your thoughtful comment. And these different medications can be combined at various dosages. Privacy Policy. Im afraid to try again and it just adds for anger, desperation, loss of control over my own life and guilt for those in my life who have to worry. Even for people who passionately wish and perhaps even need (for health reasons) to lose weight, they do not always prevail. After my attempt at suicide, I tried to find information about my feelings and what others were feeling. While in Australia she started blogging about beginning to experience bouts of depression on top of her anxiety. Syd, Ive always loved you from the bottom of my heart, since the minute I saw your eyes open. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. "On Aug. 20, 1985, I jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge, and I survived." Ken Baldwin was 28 years old and had just started a family. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. At 10 o'clock in the morning, Ken. For example, he may be telling himself that the way he feels and is now is the way he will feel and be forever. Has he tried cognitive behavior therapy? Overall, a meta-analysis of numerous studies that looked at bridges suicide barriers found them to be effective. Lorraine Rhodes was destitute, and asked Show Folks of America to help pay for the funeral, which they did. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. 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. 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. I pray tonight. Has left me pretty much bankrupt and not willing to live. Those two have shown some effectiveness at reducing suicidal ideation and behavior. Even so, bridge foreman Arthur Olson caught up with the stuntman as the crowd gathered, and grabbed him, but lost his grip, only succeeding in ripping free one of the harnesses. 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. Photos purchased from Fotolia.com. News. I think it could be helpful to you. We talked a lot about loving each other. 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. 19-year-old Sydney West was last seen Sept. 30. Millions of eyes are going to locate her better than 20 sets, Jay West said. According to her family, a private investigator has followed up on dozens of. For me, the will to live kicked in. San Francisco Police have previously said the teenager "is considered at risk due to depression." There are many people with children whose pain or distorted thinking overrides all else, in spite of their best wishes. 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. [This comment was edited to abide by the Comments Policy. 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. 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.. 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. You cant will people to live. True or false is a perception that changes from person to person. 15, 12, by Americaoncoffee. None of us can. West is 5'10" and slender at 130 pounds, with blue eyes and light brown hair. After all, they were intent on dying. Another possibility is that the instinct to live kicks in once someone comes close to dying. Upon its completion in 1937, it was the tallest and longest suspension bridge in the world. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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 once attributed that simply to having realized I wanted to live and (narrowly) surving my attempt. West, 20, grew up in Pleasanton, Calif. She was a star volleyball player at Foothill High School and loved singing at open mic nights. Public File for KBCW-TV / KBCW 44 Cable 12. East Bay Wine & Whimsy (Metaphysical Market), Before & After Photos Show CA's Snowpack, Reservoirs After Storms, Best Bay Area Sandwiches + Stranded Hiker Rescued: Saturday Smiles, Sprawling Estates, Suburban Dreams: 11 Featured Bay Area Homes, Berkeley Police Warn Of Vehicle Theft Rise, The Poop On Free-Range Cats And Your Lawn And Garden [Block Talk]. My husband killed himself 6 weeks ago at home to put a closure on our marital problem. Sadly, your post is being used by some commenters to justify the Golden Gate Bridge net boondoggle. Dressed in a blue sweatshirt, leggings and Vans slip-on sneakers, the 19-year-old college student last contacted her family the day before with a lengthy phone call to her dad, Jay West. He completed the challenge and won himself a taxi ride to New York. I just need time to tidy up affairs, belongings, finances, assemble the plan. The tragedy of suicide is indisputable. The Golden Gate Bridge is the number one suicide site in the world. Simply put unless you die the battle won or pain doesnt matter. January 25, 2021 / 11:03 AM 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. 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. SFGATE news editor Amy Graff contributed to this report. Press J to jump to the feed. She tried to take her life when I was 12. So it is with anything else, including suicidal thoughts. He now works daily, and diligently, to manage continued symptoms that can include depression and hearing voices. I cant tell you how much of what you write touches me in some way. Each. Obviously, I failed. She was a student at Donlon Elementary and Hart Middle schools and attended Foothill High School for her freshman and sophomore years. Cookie Notice 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 . At the age of 19, Kevin Hines attempted to commit suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge, an all-too-common act that nearly always results in death. The San Francisco Police Department's tip line can be reached at 415-575-4444. : The Fate of Suicide Attempt Survivors, A Follow-up Study of Suicide Attempters from. They have a good, nonjudgmental, and supportive discussions at ChronicSuicideSupport.com/forum/. Children are a major reason for living for many people who battle suicidal thoughts. Woke up yesterday and realized I needed to make another pilgrimage before the series begins. Cameras on the Golden Gate Bridge recorded Sydney the morning of Sept. 30. I guess I have started to realize its not my faultits no ones fault when a loved one commits suicide. I tried by drinking mosquito poison. Sydney West never returned home, and has not been heard from since. In the midst of a struggle with mental illness, Hines got a running start . SF]. Her family is not giving up hope that she is still alive and remains determined to find her. 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. He once tried to jump off the Aloha Tower in Honolulu only to be thwarted at the last minute by police. I wish you all the very best and I pray you each find a way to manage and control the thoughts of suicide. Sydney West Cameras on the Golden Gate Bridge recorded Sydney the morning of Sept. 30. Im sorry youre feeling so bad that your suicide seems, to you, to be inevitable. When I arrived at the #FindSydneyWest vigil in Pleasanton, I said whoever is singing has a beautiful voice. She is from Chapel Hill, N.C. I blame myself 100% for her suicide. 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. It certainly sounds like your friends antidepressants are not working. 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. User account menu. West's parents are asking anyone who may have been. There are so many types of antidepressants these days (around 40), plus mood stabilizers, plus antipsychotic medications that can also be used to treat depression. She was, for a period of time, carrying a black backpack that she frequently used to get around town. I was driving toward the Hoover Dam bypass bridge from Memphis over 4 years ago to jump off. At the time of her disappearance Sydney was 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighs around 130 pounds with light brown hair and blue eyes. Ken Baldwin. 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. Trackback URL Each year I did - 2004, 2007, and 2013 - the Red Sox went on to win the World Series. 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. She failed at killing herself and learned a different process of questions to see her feelings. Keep pushing on. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. And half of people who die by suicide had attempted suicide at least once previously. Now I dont know if I can fight it, but coping with failure and constant depression is impossible. It was in 1984. I interviewed her parents.https://t.co/tiBGM53NZz pic.twitter.com/lvHh2cCrZg. Her family relocated to North Carolina in July 2017. 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. 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. Life really sucked and so did I. I blamed myself for everything that was wrong and then some. Healthcare sucks, Government sucks, Law Enforcement Sucks, the economy sucks, the housing market, job, market, and prospects suck, no body likes me, including myself, and I really dont like anyone else either. 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. Also Live Through This website has beautiful portraits (photographic but also in prose) of people who survived a suicide attempt. First published on January 25, 2021 / 11:03 AM. (findsydneywest.com) West was last seen on the morning of Sept. 30 on the iconic bridge. 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. 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. Even though 2/3 are started by women, Virtually every article is written by women. And half of people who die by suicide had attempted suicide at least once previously. Try convincing someone like me that life is worth it. It is important to note that there has been no activity on her phone, bank accounts, or social media accounts since Sept. 30. Turns out, it was a recording of Sydney singing. Hi Joan. A vigil was held last week for West in Pleasanton. In 2000, he actually did jump off the Golden Gate Bridge. She struggled with being so far away from her parents and sister, who reside in North Carolina. The sad thing is that, as I say in my letter, some of what your friend thinks and believes may actually be true, but his mind is probably also shutting him out of other truths that could balance out his pain. She was last seen in long, dark leggings, a teal hooded sweatshirt and slip-on Vans in a dark green and black print. Aside from seeing a therapist, I didnt find anything out there to help. She talked to herfather on the phone the day before shewent missing. 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. 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. They planned to reconvene in L.A. the following day to hatch a plan to monetize the footage. She vanished without a trace from San Francisco, California, near the Golden Gate Bridge, a popular tourist spot for many. I saw him hit the water like a bullet, said his wife. 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 . Obviously, the will to live does not reassert itself in everyone who has tried to die. She is an amazing musician. The Suicide Deterrent System, also known as the Safety Net, is being constructed to keep people from jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. 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. Its agonizing to lose someone you love to suicide, and you describe that agony very powerfully. 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. Rhodes, who also went by his native Navajo name Chief Sundown, was no stranger to danger. Kevin Briggs. But I have. She was last seen September 30, 2020, from the San Francisco area near the Golden Gate Bridge specifically around Crissy field. 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. But in reality, he cant know what the future holds. He and his wife lived in Tracy and had an adorable . . But what about people like me? I address the myth of inevitable suicide in this post. 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. While living in San Francisco West enjoyed singing and playing the piano for open mic nights around the city. Except that my fiance was making me depressed because he wouldnt move in with me again like how we were living together before. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. Watching "The Bridge" -- a new documentary that captures 23 suicide jumps from the bridge . 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. 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. I woke up on my own after my first attempt. 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. 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. One desperate and hurt person to another. Anyone with information about Sydneys whereabouts is asked to contact private investigator Scott Dudek by texting or calling 925-705-8328. Thanks for sharing, Anne. 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. Part of Audacy. 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? 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. He struck the water with his face. Peace be with you Steven. I feel selfish but I feel like I still have to be brave for people because of their fear I might try again. 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. 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. 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. Perfectly so. Pandora Holidays and milestones come and go while we continue to feelSydney's absence continuously. 18 I held a gun to my head in my backyard w my finger on the trigger. Precious few people survive such a fall; the water about 200 feet below acts the same as concrete when a person lands on it at high speed. Its death toll has since been surpassed only by the Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge in China.. She took a ride-share service. And for most of those whose lives were saved, life goes on for many more years to come. Suicide needs to be addressed from many angles, of which means restriction is only one. Enter your email address to receive notifications by email of new posts. Suicide isnt an option, keep telling yourself that. I have battled the thoughts of suicide for many years but after I had children those thoughts died. ChiMaxx, thank you for writing and for raising important points in your comment. Thank you. I am literally living day by day and full of guilt, regret and anger. It is wonderful that having children seems to have inoculated you against suicidal thoughts. 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. :A Follow-up Study of Suicide Attempters fromthe Golden Gate Bridge.. This is perhaps the best argument for preventing suicide. and our An estimated 1,600 people have committed suicide by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge, which has warnings but no barrier. Sydney West was last seen near the Golden Gate Bridge in the early morning hours of Sept. 30, walking near Crissy Field. The ongoing survival of people who attempt suicide is not (always) inevitable. In the midst of a struggle with mental illness, Hines got a running start . "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. But the cameras lost sight of her because of heavy fog, making it impossible to know what happened toher. 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. As a person who has tried countless times to end my life, even shooting myself in the head, we are stuck living with yet another feeling of failure when we fail and continue suffering. For more information, please see our 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. Rhodes press agent, Susan Todd, told reporters that Dusty had painstakingly calculated the speed of his fall, how he would hit the water and other details, as he did when he prepared for his movie stunts. 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). My mother battled w depression I watched her battle hard all my life and still. A good place to start is the Facebook group Live Through This. So there are many, many more medications and medication combinations that he can try. So, I have two choices: Miraculously stop all self harm and suicide attempts, or have to make sure they are 100% successful, because I cant stand the thought of long term in patient. I cant get beyond the pain. Suicide prevention can save lives. 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.