Of the 515 people whose attempt was interrupted, only 35 later died by suicide in the years to come. West returned to the Bay Area as a University of California, Berkeley student, where she studied until recently, San Francisco police said when she was first reported missing. A $25,000 reward is being offered for anyone who has information that leads to her return. But things went wrong for Dusty as he climbed the rails to attempt the feat. User account menu. I tried to help her, I really did Except I didnt. For example, he may be telling himself that the way he feels and is now is the way he will feel and be forever. Privacy Policy. She was a student at Donlon Elementary and Hart Middle schools and attended Foothill High School for her freshman and sophomore years. I just hope that one day her family will get answers. Previously, police said she had not been seen or heard from since before dawn, on Sept. 29. Sure if youve got someone/s to bail you out after your attempt, yeah youve got a reason to live. I couldnt pull all the way. I guess I have started to realize its not my faultits no ones fault when a loved one commits suicide. 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. Will I Be Committed to a Mental Hospital if I Tell a Therapist about my Suicidal Thoughts? 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. 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. The Golden Gate Bridge, which first opened in May 1937, was the most popular suicide site in the world during the documentary's filming, with approximately 1,200 deaths by 2003. In this clinical case conference, the authors begin by presenting vignettes to capture the diversity of bridge suicide. Andrew has written for The Atlantic, Vice, SF Weekly, the San Francisco Chronicle, McSweeney's, The Bold Italic, Drowned in Sound and many other places. Which will turn into the vicious cycle of no job= no money, and no money = no job. Im sorry to hear of your loss A couple hours. Her Disappearance: Sydney West was a 19-year-old freshman at U.C. 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. 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. After all, they were intent on dying. This case has always stuck with me because I am in my 20s and suffer from anxiety and depression. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. I am hopeful that similar results will be found after the suicide barrier at the Golden Gate bridge is in place. And for most of those whose lives were saved, life goes on for many more years to come. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 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. Any suggestions? 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. I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place. 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. She was last seen around 6:45 am when she was dropped off by a rideshare driver. 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. In 2000, he actually did jump off the Golden Gate Bridge. I know there will be a lot of people out there who will think a certain thing happened to Sydney. After he was rescued, he continued to live, and lives still, serving as a suicide prevention advocate at the national level. 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. Good luck to you, Joan. 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. She was said to be very close with her family. Here Are My Reasons. A missing person case has also been launched in Orange County, North Carolina, where West's family lives. She grew up in Pleasanton, CA and then moved to Chapel Hill, NC with her family during high school. Camera footage has been reviewed and interviews have been conducted among West's friends and acquaintances, but there are no leads. Especially when its an opinion so your both right. He published the results in an article titled Where Are They Now? But, as you said, the problem is also bigger than a question of means. I will just speak it: Their lies destroyed me and there is no one on earth greater than you and those you love and want to protect. Leads continue to come in, her parents said. And these different medications can be combined at various dosages. In Mental Health circles there is a saying , that Sometimes suicide is inevitable. 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. I blame myself 100% for her suicide. 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). My brother did the same in 2002. ive suffered depression for Years, 2 suicide attempts in 2008. Im sorry youre feeling so bad that your suicide seems, to you, to be inevitable. Therapists and doctors may help provide relief. And the children are adults now. Perfectly so. SF]. Lately, the suicidal thoughts have permeated my brain. Sydneyhas not used her phone, social media or bank accounts since she disappeared. I wish you all the very best and I pray you each find a way to manage and control the thoughts of suicide. 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. It happens. Ken Baldwin. Dec. 11, 2019 Updated: Dec. 12, 2019 8:06 a.m. 5. But I have. She was carrying a black backpack and her light brown hair was pulled back into a bun. The tragedy of suicide is indisputable. Her father grew worried when she didnt call the next day the day she was last spotted in San Francisco. 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. Sydney Kaitlyn West, 19, was last seen near the Golden Gate Bridge around 6:45 a.m. on September 30, 2020. News. There are some reports that Sydney may have suffered from depression. Peace be with you Steven. In 2000, he actually did jump off the Golden Gate Bridge. They understand the battle with weight loss and a zillion other things but not suicide. . According to her family, a private investigator has followed up on dozens of tips, but none have led to West's whereabouts. The chances of surviving are less than 1.5%, and almost zero if the feet don't hit first. I dont understand why things are suddenly going so well for me though.. Youd think karma would hit me and make my life way worse but I guess the universe wants me alive for some reason? The Suicide Deterrent System, also known as the Safety Net, is being constructed to keep people from jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. Another possibility is that the instinct to live kicks in once someone comes close to dying. Maybe I didnt want to think he could actually do it. Im wondering if youve seen the post If Only: Self-Blame After a Loved Ones Suicide. The persons reasons for dying may begin to fade. 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. 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. A narcissistic parent doesnt cause suicide, either lifes problems do or mental illness does. He now works daily, and diligently, to manage continued symptoms that can include depression and hearing voices. Horrified spectators screamed and mothers covered their childrens eyes as Chief Sundowns lifeless body bobbed under the bridge and out to sea. The four-second fall from the Golden Gate Bridge sends a person plunging . 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. Andrew Chamings is an editor at SFGATE. Getting through them is the way to make your life your own again.. 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. 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. 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. She tried to take her life when I was 12. West had just gone off to college to her dream school, University of California Berkeley. Your message here is a good one. It was apparently very foggy that morning. While in Australia she started blogging about beginning to experience bouts of depression on top of her anxiety. Turns out, it was a recording of Sydney singing. 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. I wish everyone could receive this gift, and I am grateful that you and others have done so! 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. Have you read Whats In the Way Is the Way by Mary OMalley? She was last seen September 30, 2020, from the San Francisco area near the Golden Gate Bridge specifically around Crissy field. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. And half of people who die by suicide had attempted suicide at least once previously. 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. Has left me pretty much bankrupt and not willing to live. Overall, a meta-analysis of numerous studies that looked at bridges suicide barriers found them to be effective. I live with a higher purpose now, but prior to my children I went through hell and constantly entertained the thought of killing myself. San Francisco Police have previously said the teenager "is considered at risk due to depression." Anyone who has seen her since is also asked to contact San Francisco police at 415-575-4444 or the family's private investigator at 925-705-8328. 19-year-old Sydney West was last seen Sept. 30. Sydneyhas light brown hair and blue eyes. I am suicidal have been for the past week. Anyone with information about Sydneys whereabouts is asked to contact private investigator Scott Dudek by texting or calling 925-705-8328. She is described as a white female, 5'10" and weighing about 130 pounds. Its agonizing to lose someone you love to suicide, and you describe that agony very powerfully. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, and was last seen wearing a sweatshirt, dark-colored shorts and blue Vans sneakers. Thank you. Her Disappearance: Sydney West was a 19-year-old freshman at U.C. The corpse was pulled from the water by the Coast Guard a mile from the bridge 20 minutes later. But its possible theres not more you could have done. The Golden Gate Bridge came to be recognized as a symbol of the power and progress of the United States, and it set a precedent for suspension-bridge design around the world. Dressed in a blue sweatshirt, leggings and Vans slip-on sneakers,. It is also possible she was wearing eyeglasses instead of contact lenses. Sydney West never returned home, and has not been heard from since. Suicide prevention can save lives. Parenthood does not protect everyone, though. and the evidence around them is not good. I supported her desire to stop taking her medication. Its not always a change of mind when deciding not to jump its fear of failure, Hi Londa, 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. And now Ive been out of rehab for 5 months and its weird because all a sudden everything is going my way now. Seidens study shows that those who encounter a personal, human intervention during the suicide attempt are less likely to end up dying of suicide (though he admits that another big percentage continue self-destructive behaviorse.g., excessive drinkingthat lead to an early natural death), but it says nothing about the efficacy of physical barriers. Friends and family may rally to their side. This is certainly true for me: narcissistic mother and sister. At the time of her disappearance Sydney was 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighs around 130 pounds with light brown hair and blue eyes. Take a trip somewhere I mean what do you have to lose, on your journey to wherever you may see life worth living make yourself do something. If I make it, Ill have publicity and be on my way, Rhodes told a friend who later testified at the coroners inquest. I tried to commit suicide when I was 18. How Parents Can Support a Child With Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Survivor Stories Empowered Me to Live, How Ive Survived and Thrived with Suicidal Thoughts, A Personal Note to Readers of Speaking of Suicide, Helping the Suicidal Person: Tips and Techniques for Professionals, psychotherapist and consultant in private practice. About his dads suicide, your article helping me a lot to help. 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. 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. Dialectical behavior therapy? 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. Im all right, Im prepared for this! Dusty Rhodes yelled as he launched himself from the Golden Gate Bridge. 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. You note that installation of a suicide barrier at the Bloor Viaduct in Toronto merely caused people to go to other locations in Toronto to die by suicide. I woke up on my own after my first attempt. 15, 12, by Americaoncoffee. Syd, Ive always loved you from the bottom of my heart, since the minute I saw your eyes open. Trackback URL My husband killed himself 6 weeks ago at home to put a closure on our marital problem. I am now 49, and I fantasize about suicide knowing I will never actually do it but wishing it was an option. It is important to note that there has been no activity on her phone, bank accounts, or social media accounts since Sept. 30. She vanished without a trace from San Francisco, California, near the Golden Gate Bridge, a popular tourist spot for many. On average, 30 people or more die from suicide here each year. After graduating high school in 2019, she decided to take a gap year in Australia. I am so glad my attempt did not end in my death. 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. 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. My hope for others feeling like that is they tell someone who can help them. As a teenager, I related so closely and had so many mixed emotions in comparing the results of my vs the characters attempts. Edit: FAQs https://findsydneywest.com/faq, https://www.pollyklaas.org/missing-children/sydney-west/, 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/. Her family still has hope that they will one day find her. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. West's parents are asking anyone who may have been. Even though a prior suicide attempt dramatically increases the risk for future suicide, studies have demonstrated that most people who survive a suicide attempt do not go on to die by suicide: There are different possible reasons why people who attempt suicide, or try to make such an attempt, might choose afterward to stay alive. Youve been through an enormous amount. 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. She struggled with being so far away from her parents and sister, who reside in North Carolina. The 265-foot plunge off the most famous bridge in the world was right in his wheelhouse, until it wasnt. 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. Its great to hear that things are going well for you now. I often want to jump off the bridge by my apartment. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The chances of surviving. Have you found commonality in your suicidal patients? There were probably signs that you had a drinking problem from the very beginning. It was a startling revelation. 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. For more information, please see our All rights reserved. My mother battled w depression I watched her battle hard all my life and still.