My brother did the same in 2002. ive suffered depression for Years, 2 suicide attempts in 2008. West vanished Sept. 30 in San Francisco. Its agonizing to lose someone you love to suicide, and you describe that agony very powerfully. Sydney West is from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, but also grew up in the Pleasanton area. Camera footage has been reviewed and interviews have been conducted among West's friends and acquaintances, but there are no leads. 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.. Indie Pop Star Michelle Lambert Kicks Off the Bankhead Courtyard Concert Series! Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 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. Now I dont know if I can fight it, but coping with failure and constant depression is impossible. The Suicide Deterrent System, also known as the Safety Net, is being constructed to keep people from jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. 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. We talked a lot about loving each other. If you havent already joined a support group for other suicide loss survivors, that might help you; such groups are available in person and online. 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. At this point, the instinct is what keeps me living. It was the last thing Dusty did, and it was a failure, she said. Sometimes, life just sucks and the pain of living is unbearable. This case has always stuck with me because I am in my 20s and suffer from anxiety and depression. For more information, please see our Both my son and I said we woud never consider it again, after that. I agree with you completely, Anonymous. Anyone in the Bay Area with any information regarding her disappearancecan contact Sgt. The San Francisco Police Department's tip line can be reached at 415-575-4444. I understand completely. "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. Good luck to your friend, Julie, and thanks for commenting. This Walking Pad treadmill made getting 10,000 steps a How to get tickets for Depeche Mode's new tour dates. God Bless You. I love the analogy with weight loss. He had lost two fingers in a knife fight on the set of the movie "Scarface." West may have been wearing dark leggings, blue Vans shoes and a teal sweatshirt at the time of her disappearance. SFGATE news editor Amy Graff contributed to this report. Interviews with jump survivors and potential jumpers . Good luck to you, Joan. Your message here is a good one. Pandora My advice to you or to those considering suicide or attempted suicide, please THINK of your loved one, your family and friends. Thank you for sharing, Stacy. Her Disappearance: Sydney West was a 19-year-old freshman at U.C. Clad in two suits, weighted boots, football padding, another rubber suit and a football helmet that onlookers described as giving him a man-from-Mars look, Rhodes also had three parachutes on his back to ease his fall. I was determined and had written a detailed letter with instructions for the police and family. After graduating high school in 2019, she decided to take a gap year in Australia. 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. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. His passing causes lots of pain, sadness and changed others lives entirely. "Jump." That's the word Kevin Hines heard in his head on September 25, 2000, as he stood on the Golden Gate Bridge. Suicide prevention can save lives. I know that this surprises many people. SFGATE's Editor-at-Large Andrew Chamings is a British writer in San Francisco. It gives me a good opportunity to dispel concerns that others may have, too. That is so sad, Julie. . 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. True or false is a perception that changes from person to person. "No detail is too small," said her mother, Kimberly West. At the time of her disappearance Sydney was 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighs around 130 pounds with light brown hair and blue eyes. But 10 years later, Im there again. The entire bridge in covered with CCTV cameras monitored 24/7, and footage is retained for 6 months as it is federal land and monitored by Homeland Security. : The Fate of Suicide Attempt Survivors, A Follow-up Study of Suicide Attempters from. Any suggestions? Sydney West was last seen near the Golden Gate Bridge in the early morning hours of Sept. 30, walking near Crissy Field. Im all right, Im prepared for this! Dusty Rhodes yelled as he launched himself from the Golden Gate Bridge. It seems to be an if all else fails, Ill just kill myself attempt to cope that gives me short-term comfort but itlike alcoholonly provides temporary relief and Im still left with my limited ability to cope with life. She tried to take her life when I was 12. and the evidence around them is not good. And now I have the means to do it. About his dads suicide, your article helping me a lot to help. If prior research is any indication, the barrier will save lives, even when taking into account people who go elsewhere to die by suicide. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Leads continue to come in, her parents said. 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). Others need to respect the decision. She attempted suicide three times and was in mental hospitals, etc. There is a strength within you. Has left me pretty much bankrupt and not willing to live. I hope he is seeing a psychiatrist for his medications, not a PCP, because psychiatrists are much more well versed in the benefits, risks, side effects, etc. I mean how long can I go ahead. I fully expected to talk to her the next day, Jay West told KRON4. God will come through for you but you have to make an attempt. BERKELEY, CA The parents of Sydney "Syd" West, a missing person who was previously a University of California, Berkeley student, have divulged new details in her case and are asking anyone with information to come forward. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. The Oscars will air on ABC and can be streamed on ABC.com and the ABC app as well as Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV or FuboTV. Its always women telling men what we should be. what can I do. 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. I just hope that one day her family will get answers. 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. Rhodes, who also went by his native Navajo name Chief Sundown, was no stranger to danger. 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. 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. I am sure your little self felt am I not lovable enough but it was never about you, your mum was in pain and obviously thought you would be better off without her, but it is not a reflection on you, hard to accept as children are programmed to feel the centre of the world. I put up a front so my kids wont end up the same way. Hi Joan. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Rhodes also made the news in 1946 on a radio program called Truth or Consequences in which he was bizarrely tasked with living on a traffic island on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and La Brea for three weeks. West, 20, grew up in Pleasanton, Calif. She was a star volleyball player at Foothill High School and loved singing at open mic nights. My name is Steven. I also knew that there was no hope whatsoever for what was wrong with me. They would split the profits from the film 50/50. As a teenager, I related so closely and had so many mixed emotions in comparing the results of my vs the characters attempts. 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. As of 2013, it is estimated that 34 people have survived after jumping. 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. 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. The night before she disappeared (Sept. 29) she and her father Jay West had a lengthy phone conversation according to her family. The ongoing survival of people who attempt suicide is not (always) inevitable. Yet it gives me great hope that the vast majority of suicide attempt survivors remain just that survivors. I just got out two days ago. 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. I lost my boyfriend to suicide two years ago and I have not been able to forgive myself. I love to see that in the Comments section; I find it beautiful when people can connect in this way and, even more, when someone can tell another person what they havent believed for themselves. Sign promoting a 24/7 crisis text line on the Golden Gate Bridge. Anyone with information is asked to call 415-575-4444. I was driving toward the Hoover Dam bypass bridge from Memphis over 4 years ago to jump off. "We have a lot of people that are asking us for information.". I inherited two guns from my Dad, and I will take possession of them this month. Watching "The Bridge" -- a new documentary that captures 23 suicide jumps from the bridge . I was able to make it out of the hopelessness and despair that led to my attempt. A view of the Golden Gate Bridge with San Francisco behind it in January 1947. Lets get real here life sucks and its hard but dont give up. What % of those people were financially ruined (ie dead broke) with no job or no home? 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 . Wests parents led a socially-distanced vigil in Pleasanton last Thursday. Anyone interested in following the investigation may do so on Facebook or Instagram, and tag posts with #FindSydneyWest. I hope you will read it and take its words to heart. 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. 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. Also, I've authored the books Helping the Suicidal Person: Tips and Techniques for Professionals and Loving Someone with Suicidal Thoughts: What Family, Friends, and Partners Can Say and Do. It certainly sounds like your friends antidepressants are not working. The night before she disappeared (Sept. 29) she and her father Jay West had a lengthy phone conversation according to her family. At the time, a made for TV movie, named Silence of the Heart came out. Her Disappearance: Sydney West was a 19-year-old freshman at U.C. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. According to San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) her family reported her missing two days after she was last seen on Oct 2, 2020. 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. Your email address will not be published. That changes things. Sydney is considered at risk due to depression, said SFPD Officer Robert Rueca to KRON4. Throughout the years, Ive engaged in self-injurious behaviors. The chances of surviving are less than 1.5%, and almost zero if the feet don't hit first. Come home.. (findsydneywest.com) West was last seen on the morning of Sept. 30 on the iconic bridge. :A Follow-up Study of Suicide Attempters fromthe Golden Gate Bridge.. All rights reserved. "Folks that have seen anything that resembles Sydney, we really want to collect information.". Dear Anthony, [feb.6.2019 @9.26am]. He completed the challenge and won himself a taxi ride to New York. 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. Her family is not giving up hope that she is still alive and remains determined to find her. I died that day too. You can learn more about me here. There is only a 4ft safety rail separating the sidewalk from the void, and 98% of suicide attempts there have succeeded. PART OF AUDACY NEWS. Sydney West was last seen near the Golden Gate Bridge in the early morning hours of Sept. 30, walking near Crissy Field. I did find this website and it has so much information that I needed to read. 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. Thank you. Had medical intervention on the second. Peace be with you Steven. She took a ride-share service. Be blunt and honest dont sugar coat how you feel. Me and my childrens life broke into pieces and our life will never be the same. But, as you said, the problem is also bigger than a question of means. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. Im about to be 22, medicated trying to live normal with constant suicidal thoughts. I cant get beyond the pain. My mother battled w depression I watched her battle hard all my life and still. Police do not necessarily believe there was foul play involved, according to an interview Rueca had with KRON4. She struggled with being so far away from her parents and sister, who reside in North Carolina. They understand the battle with weight loss and a zillion other things but not suicide. Ken Baldwin. The. It would be logical to assume that being prevented from jumping merely delayed their death. Case Contact Information: SFPD at 415-575-444 or text TIP411 (Start your message with SFPD) Or contact: private investigator Scott Dudek at 925-705-8328 or dudek.associates@gmail.com, *there is a reward for information that leads to her location and return, For more info: https://findsydneywest.com/ Facebook: Find Sydney West Instagram @find_sydney_west Polly Klaas Foundation: https://www.pollyklaas.org/missing-children/sydney-west/, Sources: 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/. I guess I have started to realize its not my faultits no ones fault when a loved one commits suicide. I know you mean well, but I always feel I wished I never survived. I warned her of the possible dangers of the physical response to discontinuance, not thinking of her emotional well being. Of the 515 people whose attempt was interrupted, only 35 later died by suicide in the years to come. Especially when its an opinion so your both right. She vanished without a trace from San Francisco, California, near the Golden Gate Bridge, a popular tourist spot for many. He once tried to jump off the Aloha Tower in Honolulu only to be thwarted at the last minute by police. 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. I think this message needs to be made more clear and put in ads, etc. As his wife described, without the weighted boots to keep him upright, Rhodes' body arched forward, eventually meeting the water face-first. I saw him hit the water like a bullet, said his wife. All theses years following, I did not feel good about myself, am reunited with my nephew, reading up on how to talk to him. He recovered physically, but mentally he is now depressed and on anti-depressants,has anxiety attacks, is too emotional for working, and keeps saying he wishes he had succeeded with his attempt as he feels a burden to everyone. Or, at least, balanced! 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. Dialectical behavior therapy? KCBS IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF CBS BROADCASTING INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. I am a survivor as well of rape and spousal abuse, Am feeling empowered today, thanks to you. 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. She is described as standing 5'10", weighing about 130 pounds, with light brown hair and blue eyes and possibly wearing glasses. 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."