Suicide Attempt at Niagara

This is actual footage captured by tourists and amateur photographers on 19 March 2003, of a 48 yo man from Buffalo, NY, at the brink of Niagara's Horseshoe Falls along Terrapin Point of Goat Island, NY. Earlier that day he lost thousands (borrowed from his father) at newly opened Seneca Nation casino, and was already $600,000 in debt to Casino Niagara in Canada. He was overcome with despair, and left a carefully written note behind saying, "Please tell my parents I'm sorry." The shock of the cold water and swift current jolted him to realize he wasn't ready to die - commonly said by survivors of dramatic suicide attempts, i.e., at the Golden Gate Bridge. At the very last moment before the falls brink, he wedged his feet in a crevice and held on for hours before rescue.

How was he able to stand there or stop his body from advancing to the edge? Rapids above the falls reach a speed of 25 mph / 40 kph. The bottom is jagged and worn slippery smooth (walk on the rocks at three sisters' islands to see how slippery, even when dry). The water at the spot where the man stood was thigh high. At night and in winter 75% of the water is diverted for power (in summer daytime 50% is diverted). At 5:00pm in Summer there is twice as much water, deeper and more violent. How he withstood the water pressure, even reduced, on slick rocks, even jammed in a crack, in ice cold winter temperatures is hard to fathom.

Rescuers approached from an ice shelf jutting over the water. Hightly decorated helicopter pilot, Capt. Kevin Caffery, was known for taking extreme measures to save people in many river and lake rescues (aka, ice fishermen stranded on a breakaway ice flow, landing on a submerged rock to save a woman). Here, Caffery pushed the limits of the single engine helicopter in blinding mist and unpredictably updrafts from the releasing energy of the falling water.

In the water were police Sgt. Pat Moriarty and firefighter Gary Carella. They strained against the current to save him from drowning when he was pulled under the ice shelf by the water. He said to his rescuers, "Let me go, don't kill yourselves, too." He said over and over, "I'm sorry." They managed to pull him to safety. He was admitted to hospital for his injuries and psychiatric help. He refused reporters interview requests. The tape of his rescue is used for training.

Stunters are finned and charged for their rescue. Depression and other illnesses which induce suicide are not illegal and not fined.