A man in his fifties tragically committed suicide by jumping off a fourteen-story apartment building on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. He climbed onto a balcony that overlooked the street and jumped to his death from the height. The man not only committed suicide, but he also took the lives of two dogs and a cat with him. The only animal that survived was one of the dogs.
Out of the two dogs and one cat, only the dog survived–but with multiple broken legs. The animal was immediately transported to an animal hospital post-fall.
The man tragically took his own life by jumping from the East River Coop building on 575 Grand Street, which is near the FDR highway. This occurred at 3:30 p.m. on April 28th.
The deceased has not been formally identified, although the New York Daily News reported that he was fifty-one years old.
The man plummeted from fourteen stories, remarkably surviving the suicide attempt. When law enforcement and medical personnel arrived on the scene, they rushed him to Beth Israel Hospital for severe trauma treatment. Although the doctors did everything they could, the 51-year-old man died from his injuries.
The man’s neighbor told the New York Post that they were horrified to learn that he had taken his pets with him when he attempted suicide.
“Why would he do that to those poor animals?” the neighbor stated. “They don’t deserve that. Lord knows why he jumped, but they don’t deserve that,” said another resident of the building that didn’t want to be identified.”
Crisis call center services are important for people living in New York, which is why Governor Kathy Hochul pledged $7.2 million toward investment in these services.
Hochul stated, “Too often, people experiencing a mental health crisis or considering suicide feel as though they have no one to turn to, but the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides hope and help.”
The governor’s efforts – though late – were respected. This man must have been in an incredibly difficult position to jump from the fourteenth story with two dogs and a cat.
Not only is this man’s death a tragedy, but also the innocent animals that lost their lives because of his actions. Many people cannot understand why he would want to bring his pets with him on such a journey. It creates an added layer of sadness to an already tragic story. The man’s death was tragic, and my condolences go out to his loved ones as well as the staff at the animal hospital who are caring for the surviving dog.
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts or is contemplating suicide, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
