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Swan Dive off of a parking structure - Printable Version

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Swan Dive off of a parking structure - landmammaldolphin - 11-05-2009

My wife works downtown and was working late last night. She wasn't going to see our daughter before she went to bed so I decided to take her downtown to see her at least once for the day. We ended up taking Division north into town and turned on Weston to get to Commerce. As I was going to turn onto Weston a First Responder turned in front of me and then turned Right on Commerce just as I was doing. Well he stopped at the corner of Cherry and Commerce where a large group of people were standing and you can tell when something bad has happened because most of the women were standing there with tears in their eyes and their hands over their mouths. I proceeded past the cop cars which were in the lane of oncoming traffic and went very slowly past them.

As I passed I saw a young girl in a mostly yellow outfit, wearing a pink backpack, lying face down on the pavement and everyone gathered around her with EMT's advancing on her. There was no sign that she was struck by a car, so I had to assume that she had fallen ill or had fallen from a height. I proceeded to my wifes place of work and went inside. I told her that something bad had happened by the parking structure and then went on about my business of letting my daughter play with her Mom for a little bit for the evening.

As I left I noticed that they were shutting down Commerce between Oakes and Cherry and there was a yellow tarp on the ground. I went home and stopped at the neighbor's house to visit and was telling him about the girl on the ground and just said, "it looked like she jumped." As I got done saying "jumped" my wife calls and confirms that it was in fact a suicide. I am still a bit haunted by it even though I didn't witness it first-hand. Both the college and the Aveda institute were departing classes at the time and a lot of people were there to witness it.

I can't imagine what her family must be going through right now but I have them in my thoughts. I understand that EMT's, police and other emergency personell have been through something like that but I can't imagine if you actually witnessed it. It broke my heart to just drive by it. Sad, very sad.


Re: Swan Dive off of a parking structure - Queenie - 11-05-2009

I cannot even imagine . . .


Re: Swan Dive off of a parking structure - Biff - 11-05-2009

Egad. That is terrible.


Re: Swan Dive off of a parking structure - potthole - 11-05-2009

When I was in 6th grade we were driving through Louisville and there had been a bad accident on the highway. As we passed the scene there was a body covered with a white sheet, and a small bloodstain showing. That image still haunts me, some thirteen years later.


Re: Swan Dive off of a parking structure - landmammaldolphin - 11-05-2009

I heard a few minutes ago that she was a homeless woman from the city. They are bringing in grief counselers to the local businesses to help.

I can't get the image out of my head either potthole. Something I will never forget.


Re: Swan Dive off of a parking structure - Double-Wrapped Bread - 01-22-2010

...That is terrible. Yet I didn't hear anything about it?