It's a bloodlust, I guess you can say

May 16th
9:49 AM

148 notes

$Ten Suicide Survivors Connie Mercure, Staten Island – Brooklyn, New York City Location: Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (Estimated over 30 Suicides) In 1995 after a failed relationship, 29 year old Connie Mercure from Brooklyn jumped over 200 feet into the Lower New York Bay. Rescuers immediately pulled her from the chilly waters. Mercure survived with a broken leg, extensive internal bleeding and hypothermia. Matthew Sicoli, The Bronx, – Bayside, Queens, New York City Location: Throgs Neck Bridge In 2001 26 year old Matthew Sicoli, after a fight with his girlfriend and job woes walked on the pedestrian lane toward the center of the Throgs Neck Bridge. Authorities spotted Sicoli kneeling and then watched in horror as he hopped over a railing and disappeared. Police quickly mounted a rescue effort and saved Sicoli in less than 10 minutes. Matthew survived the 140-foot leap and suffered only bruises to his ribs, stomach and face. It is estimated he went into the East River hitting the water at 64 mph. Sicoli’s 51-year-old mother committed suicide by jumping off the Whitestone Bridge just five years earlier. Hanns Jones, Tampa Bay, Florida Location: Sunshine Skyway Bridge: On May of 2001, 35 year old artist and inventor Hanns Jones was despondent over business pressures. After heavy drinking and a horrible fight with his wife, Jones drove his pickup to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge to end his life. Right after Jones jumped he said he knew it was a big mistake. Jones described the jump as “You just accelerate and accelerate so fast and then it stops, but when you stop you don’t feel like you hit water, you feel like you hit concrete”. The force of the impact ripped Jones’s clothes off. Despite multiple rib fractures, internal bleeding and a collapsed lung, he was able to swim to the rocks near one of the pylons. He was sitting there naked when rescuers arrived, and then spent weeks in the hospital recovering. Jones says he’s fine and happy today, and he often wonders why he survived when so many others didn’t. Did Bélizaire, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Location: Jacques Cartier Bridge Did Bélizaire had an addiction to gambling which started when he was 17 years old. In 2003 at the age of 36, he had another losing night playing the video lottery terminals at the nearby Casino de Montréal. Bélizaire found himself deep in a hole and called his girlfriend on his cell phone, asked for her blessing and ended the call without telling her what he was about to do. Bélizaire then jumped off the Jacques Cartier Bridge into the St. Lawrence River. Bélizaire survived the jump and was unable to force himself to drown because his survival instincts took over. The jump cost Bélizaire the use of his legs and is now a paraplegic. Bélizaire is quoted saying “Once I was a strapping 6-foot-7 basketball and football player and now I’m a 3 foot 3 inches in a wheelchair”. Bélizaire takes every opportunity he can to tell young people his story and sound the alarm against compulsive gambling. “Michelle”, Brooklyn, New York Location: Brooklyn Bridge In June of 2008, a 34 year-old woman identified as “Michelle” decided to end her life by jumping off the pedestrian walkway of the Brooklyn Bridge. After her 10 story leap into the East River several witnesses called 911 and the woman was quickly plucked from the chilly waters. Paramedics were amazed that she came out of it with no broken bones and hardly a scratch. She was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where she was admitted for having water in her lungs. Angela Schuman, near Kingston England Location: Humber Bridge 28 year old Angela Schuman was going through a custody battle with her ex- husband over their daughter. She wrote several letters, including one saying:” I can be with my daughter all the time. I can be free and far away where no Julio (her husband) of this world can reach us and separate us. And I can be with my daughter on her birthday.” In the fall of 2005 Angela jumped off Humber Bridge (3 days prior to her daughters 2nd birthday) holding on to her daughter all the way down. The little girl was taken to Hull Royal Infirmary where she was found to be hypothermic, but five days later was able to go home. Angela Schumann spent almost two months in hospital for treatment to lower body fractures. In the hospital, Schumann was found to have faded writing on her stomach saying: “Cause of death Julio”. The mother and daughter are two of only five to have ever survived a fall from Humber Bridge. John Dittmann, Seattle, Washington Location: Aurora Bridge John Dittmann felt suicidal, blaming it on a daily regiment of taking tranquilizers to treat mental illness and drinking alcohol to offset the pills. Dittmann often would stare at the Aurora Bridge from his Wallingford halfway house and in 1979 at the age of 22 he decided to end his life with a leap off the bridge. After jumping Dittmann had a change of heart and decided he didn’t want to die. He then frantically threw his arms back and fought to keep his body from pitching forward and tried to keep his feet extended as he plunged 174 feet. He hit Lake Union at 70 mph with a crack and struggled to swim meekly to shore. Dittmann fractured his back and injured his lungs, but survived. The Seattle man is one of about 30 people who have survived a leap from the landmark bridge. Sarah Henley, North Somerset, England Location: Clifton Bridge This miraculous escape from death happened over 120 years ago. 22 year old Sarah Henley received a letter from her fiancé breaking up their engagement. In a state of despair she rushed to end her life by the jumping off the Clifton Suspension Bridge. That particular morning there was a slight wind blowing and Sarah’s skirt was inflated (acting like a parachute) and considerably slowed down her decent. The wind also prevented her falling straight into the water. Sarah lived a full life and died in 1948. Her incredible luck gave her an extra 62 years of life. Sarah Henley’s jump has become legend and is recorded in the official history of the Suspension Bridge. Martin Hinchcliffe, East Sussex England Location: Beachy Head In June of 1995, 15 year old Martin Hinchcliffe had a fight with his girlfriend’s parents. After writing a note to his mother saying he would kill himself he walked to Sugar Lump cliff on Beachy Head and jumped. 35 feet into his fall he was caught by some extending rocks and was completely hidden from view in a deep crevasse. After spending 72 hours holding on to the cliffs, his cries were finally heard by a man walking on the beach below. Coastguard, police and firefighters went to the scene and were able to rescue Hinchcliffe who suffered a broken leg and cracked several ribs. Hinchcliffe said he sucked on rocks during the 72 hours to avoid dehydration. Kevin Hines, San Francisco, California Location: Golden Gate Bridge At the age of 19 Kevin Hines battle with bipolar disorder became so intense that he finally decided to end his life. In the year 2000 he attended his first class at school, and then took a bus to the Golden Gate Bridge, crying all the way. Hines picked his spot and stood there for 40 minutes. No one approached him to ask what was wrong and when a tourist came up and asked whether he could take her photo, Hines thought that was clear proof that no one cared. He took the picture, and then jumped. Instantly he realized he had made a mistake and thought to himself “God save me”. As he was falling Hines came up with a plan to save his life, and threw his head back and tried to hit feet first. Hines was hurtled 40 feet underwater but miraculously survived. Hines endured arduous physical rehabilitation after his near-death experience, but said dealing with his bipolar disorder had been far more difficult. He now lives by a strict schedule, and has found a combination of drugs and therapy that allows him to regulate his manic highs and depressions. Currently, Hines works with several mental health groups and suicide prevention hot lines.$

Ten Suicide Survivors

Connie Mercure, Staten Island – Brooklyn, New York City

Location: Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (Estimated over 30 Suicides)

In 1995 after a failed relationship, 29 year old Connie Mercure from Brooklyn jumped over 200 feet into the Lower New York Bay. Rescuers immediately pulled her from the chilly waters. Mercure survived with a broken leg, extensive internal bleeding and hypothermia.

Matthew Sicoli, The Bronx, – Bayside, Queens, New York City

Location: Throgs Neck Bridge

In 2001 26 year old Matthew Sicoli, after a fight with his girlfriend and job woes walked on the pedestrian lane toward the center of the Throgs Neck Bridge. Authorities spotted Sicoli kneeling and then watched in horror as he hopped over a railing and disappeared. Police quickly mounted a rescue effort and saved Sicoli in less than 10 minutes. Matthew survived the 140-foot leap and suffered only bruises to his ribs, stomach and face. It is estimated he went into the East River hitting the water at 64 mph. Sicoli’s 51-year-old mother committed suicide by jumping off the Whitestone Bridge just five years earlier.

Hanns Jones, Tampa Bay, Florida

Location: Sunshine Skyway Bridge:

On May of 2001, 35 year old artist and inventor Hanns Jones was despondent over business pressures. After heavy drinking and a horrible fight with his wife, Jones drove his pickup to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge to end his life. Right after Jones jumped he said he knew it was a big mistake. Jones described the jump as “You just accelerate and accelerate so fast and then it stops, but when you stop you don’t feel like you hit water, you feel like you hit concrete”. The force of the impact ripped Jones’s clothes off. Despite multiple rib fractures, internal bleeding and a collapsed lung, he was able to swim to the rocks near one of the pylons. He was sitting there naked when rescuers arrived, and then spent weeks in the hospital recovering. Jones says he’s fine and happy today, and he often wonders why he survived when so many others didn’t.

Did Bélizaire, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Location: Jacques Cartier Bridge

Did Bélizaire had an addiction to gambling which started when he was 17 years old. In 2003 at the age of 36, he had another losing night playing the video lottery terminals at the nearby Casino de Montréal. Bélizaire found himself deep in a hole and called his girlfriend on his cell phone, asked for her blessing and ended the call without telling her what he was about to do. Bélizaire then jumped off the Jacques Cartier Bridge into the St. Lawrence River. Bélizaire survived the jump and was unable to force himself to drown because his survival instincts took over. The jump cost Bélizaire the use of his legs and is now a paraplegic. Bélizaire is quoted saying “Once I was a strapping 6-foot-7 basketball and football player and now I’m a 3 foot 3 inches in a wheelchair”. Bélizaire takes every opportunity he can to tell young people his story and sound the alarm against compulsive gambling.

“Michelle”, Brooklyn, New York

Location: Brooklyn Bridge

In June of 2008, a 34 year-old woman identified as “Michelle” decided to end her life by jumping off the pedestrian walkway of the Brooklyn Bridge. After her 10 story leap into the East River several witnesses called 911 and the woman was quickly plucked from the chilly waters. Paramedics were amazed that she came out of it with no broken bones and hardly a scratch. She was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where she was admitted for having water in her lungs.

Angela Schuman, near Kingston England

Location: Humber Bridge

28 year old Angela Schuman was going through a custody battle with her ex- husband over their daughter. She wrote several letters, including one saying:” I can be with my daughter all the time. I can be free and far away where no Julio (her husband) of this world can reach us and separate us. And I can be with my daughter on her birthday.” In the fall of 2005 Angela jumped off Humber Bridge (3 days prior to her daughters 2nd birthday) holding on to her daughter all the way down. The little girl was taken to Hull Royal Infirmary where she was found to be hypothermic, but five days later was able to go home. Angela Schumann spent almost two months in hospital for treatment to lower body fractures. In the hospital, Schumann was found to have faded writing on her stomach saying: “Cause of death Julio”. The mother and daughter are two of only five to have ever survived a fall from Humber Bridge.

John Dittmann, Seattle, Washington

Location: Aurora Bridge

John Dittmann felt suicidal, blaming it on a daily regiment of taking tranquilizers to treat mental illness and drinking alcohol to offset the pills. Dittmann often would stare at the Aurora Bridge from his Wallingford halfway house and in 1979 at the age of 22 he decided to end his life with a leap off the bridge. After jumping Dittmann had a change of heart and decided he didn’t want to die. He then frantically threw his arms back and fought to keep his body from pitching forward and tried to keep his feet extended as he plunged 174 feet. He hit Lake Union at 70 mph with a crack and struggled to swim meekly to shore. Dittmann fractured his back and injured his lungs, but survived. The Seattle man is one of about 30 people who have survived a leap from the landmark bridge.

Sarah Henley, North Somerset, England

Location: Clifton Bridge

This miraculous escape from death happened over 120 years ago. 22 year old Sarah Henley received a letter from her fiancé breaking up their engagement. In a state of despair she rushed to end her life by the jumping off the Clifton Suspension Bridge. That particular morning there was a slight wind blowing and Sarah’s skirt was inflated (acting like a parachute) and considerably slowed down her decent. The wind also prevented her falling straight into the water. Sarah lived a full life and died in 1948. Her incredible luck gave her an extra 62 years of life. Sarah Henley’s jump has become legend and is recorded in the official history of the Suspension Bridge.

Martin Hinchcliffe, East Sussex England

Location: Beachy Head

In June of 1995, 15 year old Martin Hinchcliffe had a fight with his girlfriend’s parents. After writing a note to his mother saying he would kill himself he walked to Sugar Lump cliff on Beachy Head and jumped. 35 feet into his fall he was caught by some extending rocks and was completely hidden from view in a deep crevasse. After spending 72 hours holding on to the cliffs, his cries were finally heard by a man walking on the beach below. Coastguard, police and firefighters went to the scene and were able to rescue Hinchcliffe who suffered a broken leg and cracked several ribs. Hinchcliffe said he sucked on rocks during the 72 hours to avoid dehydration.

Kevin Hines, San Francisco, California

Location: Golden Gate Bridge

At the age of 19 Kevin Hines battle with bipolar disorder became so intense that he finally decided to end his life. In the year 2000 he attended his first class at school, and then took a bus to the Golden Gate Bridge, crying all the way. Hines picked his spot and stood there for 40 minutes. No one approached him to ask what was wrong and when a tourist came up and asked whether he could take her photo, Hines thought that was clear proof that no one cared. He took the picture, and then jumped. Instantly he realized he had made a mistake and thought to himself “God save me”. As he was falling Hines came up with a plan to save his life, and threw his head back and tried to hit feet first. Hines was hurtled 40 feet underwater but miraculously survived. Hines endured arduous physical rehabilitation after his near-death experience, but said dealing with his bipolar disorder had been far more difficult. He now lives by a strict schedule, and has found a combination of drugs and therapy that allows him to regulate his manic highs and depressions. Currently, Hines works with several mental health groups and suicide prevention hot lines.

May 8th
2:39 PM

109 notes

$Lacerations and fractures of the bottom of the feet of a suicide jumper.$

Lacerations and fractures of the bottom of the feet of a suicide jumper.

April 9th
11:46 AM

412 notes

Source

Where To End It All: The World’s 4 Most Popular Natural Suicide Destinations

Aokigahara Forest, Mount Fuji, Japan

Why People Do It Here:

Many people believe the forest is haunted or cursed due to a myth explaining that iron deposits underground cause equipment to fail. This is only true with crappy equipment like compasses. GPS navigators and cars work just fine. Its’ mystical properties were given even more publicity after a popular Japanese novel used it as a place for the main characters to commit suicide.

The Death Toll:

Authorities believe that over 70 people commit suicide here every year. Volunteers from the surrounding community often join police search teams to help find bodies. Authorities have placed signs and telephones designed to dissuade a suicidal person from ending their life.

Niagara Falls, New York, USA/Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

Why People Do It Here:

The swift current of the water and the jagged rocks below add to a pretty high death rate should a person go over the side.

The Death Toll:

Over 20 people per year commit suicide at Niagara Falls. Barriers designed to prevent suicide are minimal.

Beachy Head, Eastbourne, England

Why People Do It Here:

The cliffs rise over the water at 530 feet. Life expectancy from that height is almost 0%

The Death Toll:

Around 20 people a year have committed suicide at Beachy Head, dating back as far as the 1600s. On August 25th, 2008, a police crew was attempting to recover the body of a suicide jumper when a car driven by two suicidal men drove off the cliff. It landed very close to them, but luckily no one was hurt…well, the guys in the car were hurt pretty bad.

Mount Mihara, Izu Oshima, Japan

Why People Do It Here:

It’s incredibly effective at achieving death quickly. Most of this is due to the fact that you can jump straight into lava. Lava is anywhere between 1200º F and 2200º F. These tempuratures will kill you, probably before you even reach the lava, which with then turn your body into liquid. 21-year-old Kiyoko Matsumoto is credited with being the first person to commit suicide in Mount Mihara in 1933, leading to countless copycats since then.

The Death Toll:

It’s pretty difficult to give a specific number, since finding a body is pretty much not an option. However, authorities estimate that 944 people killed themselves in the volcano in 1933 alone. The amount of deaths has dropped off a bit since authorities placed a barrier at the base of the mount, but that’s definitely not enough to stop a determined person.

11:37 AM

579 notes

Evelyn McHale is probably the most famous Empire State Building suicide victim. On May 1, 1947 Evelyn leaped from the 86th-floor observatory in 1947 and landed on the roof of a United Nations limousine parked on the street below.

Her suicide note read:

“I don’t want anyone in or out of my family to see any part of me. Could you destroy my body by cremation? I beg of you and my family – don’t have any service for me or remembrance for me. My fiance asked me to marry him in June. I don’t think I would make a good wife for anybody. He is much better off without me. Tell my father, I have too many of my mother’s tendencies.”

April 8th
11:04 PM

307 notes

A suicide jumper impaled by a gate.

March 30th
12:05 PM

642 notes

Per “Dead” Ohlin was the vocalist of Norwegian black metal band, Mayhem, before his suicide in 1991. On 8 April 1991, Ohlin was found dead, by Euronymous, of a shotgun wound to the head. He had also cut his wrists and left a suicide note, which included an apology for having shot a firearm indoors and which ended with: “Excuse all the blood.” Instead of calling the police, Euronymous went to a nearby store and bought a disposable camera to photograph the corpse, after re-arranging some items. One of these photographs was later stolen and used as the cover of a bootleg live album entitled Dawn of the Black Hearts. According to Stian Johannsen (aka Occultus), who briefly took position as vocalist after Dead’s suicide:

“He [Dead] didn’t see himself as human; he saw himself as a creature from another world. He said he had many visions that his blood has frozen in his veins, that he was dead. That is the reason he took that name. He knew he would die.”

11:05 AM

223 notes

“I snatched my camera from the car and took two quick shots as she seemed to hesitate…As quickly as possible I shoved the exposed film into the case and reached for a fresh holder. I no sooner had pulled the slide out and got set for another shot than she waved to the crowd below and pushed herself into space. Screams and shouts burst from the horrified onlookers as her body plummeted toward the street. I took a firm grip on myself, waited until the woman passed the second or third story, and then shot.”

March 28th
5:28 PM

3,944 notes

Facts and Figures of Suicide

While men are quick to reach for a gun, women gravitate toward overdosing or cutting themselves. Half of all people who commit suicide see a physician within a month of their fatal act. Parents, obese men, and pregnant women are less likely to commit suicide than anyone else. Divorced men commit suicide 400 percent more than women. And if you’re a sixty-five-year-old male, or older, in poor health, divorced, or have lost a loved one, and are living in a metropolitan area, you’re part of the highest suicide group. For some, self-killing is impulsive. Studies have shown that many attempters, 25 to 40 percent, are suicidal for only a short time. For some, it is as little as an hour. They awake one day without giving a though to ending their life, and by the evening they are ready to bid it adieu. One person attempts suicide every thirty-four seconds. And one death by suicide occurs every twenty-five attempted. Those seriously suicidal have been for a long time, with the thought of how and when being a consuming rather than a momentary one. For the impulsive - who will often choose jumping or a gun as a mean to their end - studies reveal that adding obstacles to their method slow down their irrational impulse, at which point the life-ending thoughts may pass. That’s why many people lobby for barricades to be built on bridges, for guns to be locked and unloaded, and for medication normally stored in cabinets and dresser drawers to be removed. Lastly, there’s location and method, which are as specific and personal as the act itself. For the impulsive, this could mean a bridge. For the control freak, perhaps it’s his home, surrounded by the comfort of prized possessions. Others select the quiet solitude of a hotel, where their act can take place uninterrupted and unnoticed, no mess for a family or friends to clean up. For some, such as actress Peg Entwistle, who jumped off the Hollywoodland sign, the method of suicide is symbolic, adding defiant significance to their act: the use of a father’s gun, the swallowing of a mother’s pills, the killing of a lover while on vacation and the subsequent shooting of one’s self. Some leave notes and some just disappear, leaving their death more of a mystery while removing the negative stigma suicide can bring; without proof, anything is possible. Without hard evidence, nothing is written in stone. Though suicide ends a life, it ironically keeps that person’s life story alive. Regardless of method or location, planned or impulsive, the suicide’s inner tormet and utter anguish haunts our culture for decades.

March 21st
2:50 PM

5,825 notes

The Last Words of Famous Suicide Notes:

“I feel certain that I’m going mad again. I feel we can’t go thru another of those terrible times. And I shan’t recover this time. I begin to hear voices.” - Virginia Woolf.

“The act of taking my own life is not something I am doing without a lot of thought. I don’t believe that people should take their own lives without deep and thoughtful reflection over a considerable period of time. I do believe strongly, however, that the right to do so is one of the most fundamental rights that anyone in a free society should have. For me much of the world makes no sense, but my feelings about what I am doing ring loud and clear to an inner ear and a place where there is no self, only calm. Love always, Wendy.” - Wendy O. Williams.

“The future is just old age and illness and pain…. I must have peace and this is the only way.” - James Whale.

“To Harald, may God forgive you and forgive me too but I prefer to take my life away and our baby’s before I bring him with shame or killing him, Lupe.” - Lupe Velez.

“No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun – for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax – This won’t hurt.” - Hunter S. Thompson.

“Frances and Courtney, I’ll be at your altar. Please keep going Courtney, for Frances for her life will be so much happier without me. I LOVE YOU. I LOVE YOU.” - Kurt Cobain.

“When I am dead, and over me bright April. Shakes out her rain drenched hair, Tho you should lean above me broken hearted, I shall not care. For I shall have peace. As leafey trees are peaceful. When rain bends down the bough. And I shall be more silent and cold hearted Than you are now.” - Sarah Teasdale.

“Dear World, I am leaving you because I am bored. I feel I have lived long enough. I am leaving you with your worries in this sweet cesspool - good luck.” - George Sanders.

“I must end it. There’s no hope left. I’ll be at peace. No one had anything to do with this. My decision totally.” - Freddie Prinze.

“They tried to get me - I got them first!” - Vachel Lindsay.

March 13th
8:19 PM

146 notes

"Well, let’s see. After you decide that I’m depressed, or whatever, you’ll put me on meds, right? Well I know hundreds of people on them and they’re all doing just fine. Really. I’ll go back to work on my new anti-depressants, have dinner with my parents and persuade them I’m back to being the normal one who never gives them any trouble. And one day some guy will ask me to marry him. He’ll be nice enough. That’ll make my parents very happy. The first year we’ll make love all the time, and in the second and third less and less. But just as we’re getting sick of each other, I’ll get pregnant. Taking care of kids, holding onto jobs, paying mortgages, It’ll keep us on an even keel for a while. Then about ten years into it he’ll have an affair because I’m too busy and I’m too tired. And I’ll find out. I’ll threaten to kill him, his mistress… myself. We’ll get past it. A few years later he’ll have another one. This time I’m just going to pretend that I don’t know because somehow kicking up a fuss just doesn’t seem worth the trouble this time. And I’ll live out the rest of my days sometimes wishing my kids could have the life that I never had. Other times secretly pleased they’re turning into repeats of me. I’m fine. Really."

— Paulo Coelho, Veronika Decides to Die.

February 20th
11:56 AM

22 notes

"God knows the past, the present and the future. In that case, he had placed her in this world with the full knowledge that she would end up killing herself, and he would no longer shocked by her actions."

— Veronika Decides to Die - Paulo Coelho.

February 19th
4:35 PM

27 notes

February 14th
12:23 PM

61 notes

This woman plunged to her death by jumping from a tower on a university campus. Her parents felt that although she stepped off the tower ledge, she was pushed off by LSD. They said that she had at least ten LSD experiences and that this led to her suicidal state of mind. She carried a note saying that she had escaped from a mental hospital and that “living was hell for me.”

9:33 AM

6,509 notes

Some crime scenes are surreal. At a quick glance, this woman dressed in her slip appears to be casually sitting on a toilet seat with her leg crossed. What is soon apparent is that she has no head, at least no head on her neck; it is on her lap. The scene may seem to be one of a crime of passion because it is so horrific and posed. However, this woman, who lived in Brooklyn’s Eastern Parkway, blew her own head off with a powerful rifle. The blood spatter on the walls and on her crossed legs indicate she was sitting in this position when the gun went off.

February 13th
3:26 PM

48 notes

A note collected at the scene of an alleged suicide. A documents examiner can compare the handwriting in the note to known handwriting from the victim to determine if the person actually wrote the note.