text: skywaybridge.comments2011/2012 updated: 12.07.12
  12.07.12, anon, why cant there be a net or a guard to protect these lives? what a shame. (we can not protect everyone from hurting themselves everywhere all the time. personal responsibility
  gives us the freedom to take ourselves out or not. the bridge is designed without nets.
  you just can't add nets without altering the aerodynamics of the bridge, as well
  as creating other harmful issues.
  besides, there is another option that
  could at least be tested.)
  11.02.12, Nicole P., Sorrento, Fl., I just wanted to say that I absolutely love your site. I can't get enough of it. I check it daily, sometimes a few times a day. I do not know why and it may be morbid, but I hope for jumper updates everyday. That may be sad or even sick, but what can I say other than people who choose this way out fascinate me. I have dealt with a mom who has tried to commit suicide more times than I can count, but never succeeded so this definitely hits home for me. I believe that there are people out there who are saved by your site. When I see the hate mail that is posted I think they are either trying to grab attention themselves or they are experiencing the anger step in their grief. Everything you say on here is very true. They choose to end their lives in a way that causes others to have to witness it, it is not by accident where you walk in at the wrong moment rather than you are forced to watch as they do it. Anyways can't wait for the updates to be posted. I am sure they has been at least a possible since the 24th. I have almost felt like a part of my day has been missing since your site has been under construction. To fill this I have just went and read through the old ones again. (thank you for your kind words. there are a few visitors that seem to scour the site in search of answers to the why of suicide, to perhaps get a glimpse into the heads of those that choose this end. this is especially true of those that have had suicide or attempted suicide with family or friends. we understand the hate mail from those effected by suicide. they are angry and hurt and see the site as maybe making fun or mocking the suicidal. either way, they feel helpless or even responsible and tend to lash out at us. it seems weird that we experience a record month in september, followed by a non-eventful october. apparently there is no rhyme or reason for skyway suicides.)
  10.14.12, Elizabeth M., facebook, Everyone always says, "why didn't the people seek help" before ending their lives. In my opinion, most of these people have major financial problems, because of the state of our economy. I know that is my most major source of stress at this time in my life, besides mental health issues. Most of my family and friends have turned their backs on me because they are tired of me and scared of me. If a person wants to end their lives, then let them.....they are definitely in a better place than this hell. Not suffering anymore. If a person is alive, they are suffering, and people in this world today are all out for themselves, maybe there are a few unselfish, good people left that will do something for someone without expecting anything in return but they are few and far between. People suck and are assholes, sorry for all the negativity but its' true. Also, are you going to donate money or financially support every person who has jumped off the bridge? I don't think so. (we are sorry your life is in such dire straights. we are very sure there are many millions of people in this country that are equally dire, yet they persevere and continue to try and get through life, all without the help of family and/or government. life is hard and getting harder, but that in and of itself is no reason to chuck oneself off the skyway. while we have repeatedly acknowledged our opinion that suicide is a viable option for those that truly want and need it, people should think long and hard about ending one's life over financial matters. we have never wished to be more wrong before, but it is also our opinion that things will get far worse before they will possibly get better. good luck, we hope you cope.)
  10.14.12, Devon P., facebook, I don't think financial issues is a valid reason to kill yourself. I mean, everyone has their triggers, but there is help out there if you absolutely can't do it yourself. As long as your most basic needs are met, everything else is optional and you, like so many others, will get through it. Never quit on your worst day.
  10.14.12, Elizabeth M., facebook, Thank you for the encouragement, both of you, I agree you each have valid points.
  10.14.12, Melinda H., facebook, Unless you are gravely ill, suicide is a permanent solution to what are usually temporary problems.
  10.14.12, Fans-of The-Point, facebook, I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't get involved here, but I need to say something. There are millions and millions of people struggling right now, and it is hard...but financial issues is not a valid reason to end your life. If people really believe that ending their life is the only way to escape, that's their choice...I can't change their mind. I do NOT believe in suicide...but there are people that will consider it...if they do, they MUST think long and hard before they take that option and kill themselves. There are no second chances. Also, the world does not end because you are gone. Think about the family and the friends you leave behind and how your death is going to impact them. I have a friend who lost her son two years ago by suicide...she has never been the same, and she will never be the same. His worries may be over with, but SHE has to live with the fact that he's gone and he's never coming back. So maybe this is a touchy scenario for me personally...but I just don't believe suicide is the answer to the problem...and I truly believe commiting suicide is a selfish act. You have got to think about EVERYTHING before you do it...and in the end, don't do it. Find people that can help you get through your problems. Like Devon said, don't quit on your worst day. Things will get better in time. ('fans' brings up a point we have stressed all through the site. suicide hurts those left behind. time and time again, friends and family seek answers as to why. many blame themselves. suicide is a viable option for some, but try and be considerate of others, keep it private, and tie up loose ends to the best of your ability. if you are indeed at life's end or in deepest pain, those left behind can then understand and accept your self departure. we catch hell all the time for saying it, but most skyway jumpers are selfish and leave everyone to suffer long after they have jumped.)
  10.14.12, Devon P., facebook, To add to that, I've worked in hotels for a long time. A lot of people think that's a good place to go. But think of the poor people who are paid $7 an hour who are going to walk into the room to service it and come across a corpse. It's traumatizing. I've seen dead people in such a context and it sticks with you forever. it's not just familiar and friends who are affected. The fisherman that pulls a broken body out of the bay, for instance. (you are right, public suicide is thoughtless. often you hear of the police suicide. the suicidal can't pull the trigger on their self, so they rush the cops who have no choice but shoot the person dead. think of the wife and kids discovering dad hanging in the garage. such thoughtless assholes.)
  10.14.12, Elizabeth M., facebook, Well, I have a 13 year old son who I love more than anything, I have been on the verge of being homeless and have been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. I used to lead a "so-called normal" life, and have a Bachelor's degree in Social Work and was a DCF Caseworker for kids in foster care for 10 years! That job was so stressful and depressing it ruined me I had a mental breakdown, besides mental issues being hereditary in my family. I grew up in a an upper middle class family, and always had my own apt. etc. up until a year ago. Now I live in the ghetto, can barely afford to pay my rent, can't pay child support, and would not have anything to eat if it were not for food stamps. I am college educated now working as a waitress at a Restaurant. The ONLY REASON I decided not to jump was after reading all these stories and thinking about what it would do to my son. My SON is the only reason I keep going everyday. He is 13 and I know he would never recover. I stay here because of Him......So thank you all for your stories of how it effects the people left behind... my parents got tired of helping me so they cut me off.....my SON, is my life, I love him, he is the only reason I have not jumped off the bridge. I still think about it everyday. and don't even try to look up my address and have me baker acted, I am already seeing a psychiatrist and I'm fine....
  10.14.12, Fans-of The-Point, facebook, Well, my heart truly goes out to you, Elizabeth. I'm glad that you DID think about everything before jumping...a 13 year old losing his mother would never have made it. I wish you the best, I hope that things get better for you...I realize that isn't going to be today or tomorrow...but hopefully, in time, this country will once again begin to flourish and good people like you who have fallen into the hell of these times will be able to rise up. My account, Fans-of The-Point, is made for 80's and 90's music...but we have a lot of caring people on our page...if you ever need anybody to talk to, our page and our friends are always open to you, or to anyone else.
  10.13.12, julie, st pete, Why did she (deborah williams) kill herself? Any facts? (it's rare that we learn why a jumper jumped. some do because they are at life's end and just want it to stop. others because they are ill and in constant pain. we would assume deborah jumped for other reasons that we can only speculate. we assume it was something along the lines of lost love, job, and/or deepest depression. according to some posts from her family, she has been battling personal demons for some time. apparently, the demons won.)
  10.14.12 julie, st pete, Thank You for responding to my question on Debs recent death. I think the fact that you posted photos made it so REAL.... Hauntingly real. I would suggest doing so in the future as it makes you look into these deaths as living humans and not a simply a name. The impact is far greater. My son died not by choice at age 16. I have lived in heartache beyond what people can comprehend for 6 years now. The pain is so deep there are no words, the longing to hold my beautiful precious baby boy...so intense simply without description. I was born to me a mother as I review my soul and journey in life. Left behind is something few understand and should try to....It takes seconds to end your life, but an entire life of pain those left behind. My child by the grace of God was happy and blessed to be loved beyond words. I cant imagine a parent losing their child to suicide. Knowing you child hurt so deep they couldn,t survive..... As a parent we feel EVERYTHING TEN FOLD OUR CHILDREN FOR WE LOVE THEM WITH THE STRONGEST LOVE IN THE UNIVERSE PARENT CHILD. Age makes no difference to a true parent, they are our babies at birth through all of life. Live with LOVE for we honestly never know what tomorrow holds and it times TOMORROW MAY TAKE our dearest loves going to God. Go to bed knowing you loved and expressed it verbally daily. I love you my child Brendan as no other in the universe ever loved. You are my life, my love, YOU ARE...ME...WE ARE ONE. LOVE MAMA (with the advent of facebook and florida mugshots, we are often able to peek in on the life of jumpers. while many keep their fb profiles private, others are open to the world. we feel pictures do put a face to a suicide. it shows this was a real person with a real life that is no more. we see the pictures and often see sadness in a face. we can read the loneliness they suffer or how they hurt. other times we can just wonder what was going on in their life to make them take such a drastic measure to leave it. i am sorry you lost your son. i have two daughters and can not imagine the pain of losing them before my time. i won't pretend to know the pain you suffer. i would like to say i hope you feel better about it soon, but i know that will never be. thank you for your thoughtful words.)
  10.01.12, Melinda M. H., facebook, I love your page! I go there to read the jumper articles and before I know it, it's been an hour or so. I can't remember life before jumpers, lol. (thanks for your kind words. imagine the hour or so or so or so it takes to put it all together. ugh.)
  09.17.12, JS, Riverview, FL., I just wanted to say these people are so brave to set out to do this and follow through. So many of us are chicken and only wish we could go all the way. (one would hope the thought of being that brave never crosses our mind, but for some, such bravery is desired and often achieved. sounds to us like you may have these thoughts and we do hope you have someone or someones you can talk to about them. life can be hard, but it's worth fighting for. find help if you need it.)
  09.05.12, Neil T., facebook, First time for everything. A seagull flew in my window and hit me in the side of the head this morning when I was nearing the top of the bridge. I think both of us are going to be OK (that had to be one of the weirdest things to ever happen to you, as well as dangerous. glad it didn't turn out to be a new post on the site. although, the ad revenue does tend to spike when there is bridge action to report. glad you were able to post your story instead.)
  09.04.12, Kate, Charlotte, NC., I heard the story on NPR about the first hand account of a man who survived his jump and it brought me to your page. I lost someone very close to me to a very violent suicide and I just want to add my two cents about these kind of public forums. At the time it happened to me and my family, we didn't feel like anyone could understand what we were going through. We could feel the discomfort of those around us with the situation. We felt very alone and not able to talk about it. Families do not need to be ashamed for what their loved ones have done. To me, it is a very sad but comforting thing to be able to read about other similar tragedies and know that I am not alone. I encourage anyone who had been a victim (and yes I absolutely mean "victim") of a suicide by a loved one to seek out others and find comfort in our sad shared experience. I participate in the AFSP "Out of the Darkness" walk every year. I also recommend the documentary,"The Bridge". I thought it would be exploitative but it dealt with the whole issue of suicide and "bridge jumping" very well. There is also an excellent series the San Francisco Chronicle did several years ago that intertwines personal stories with reality of what violent suicides do to the physical body of the jumper, the toll it takes psychologically on the families and even the people that have to retrieve the bodies. Please, I encourage anyone that is thinking of suicide, please at least try to get some help. You have no idea how many people you are going to impact and for the rest of their lives. (sorry about your loss. we understand the trauma attached, as we too have lost a family member to suicide. we concur the family does not need to be ashamed for what their loved one has done. suicide is a very personal, one person choice. we have had suicide family members seek out others on this site. we try to connect them as they see fit. since we only pass on contact info from one to another, we really have no idea the success rate of these contacts. they usually don't get back with us about it, but we do know there have been some friendships made because of the similar circumstances they now find themselves in. we have had the complete movie, "the bridge" available on this site from time to time. often, it disappears because of copyright issues, but seems to manage a comeback at some point. when we have it, it's free for the viewing. we also offer the 2005 san francisco chronicle's 'LETHAL BEAUTY' articles you mentioned. thank you for your input.)
  08.08.12, B., Inverness, Florida, I stumbled onto this site about 2 months ago and I must say I am haunted by the fact that these "Jumpers" choose to take their live like this, in this manner. I have to say I check in almost daily just to see the latest and maybe re-read some of the stories that are posted on these people that must have been hurting inside to which I can not even imagine. I am drawn to this site and I leave once again haunted as to why they do this desperate act!!!! I will say that your witty response to those that choose to criticize you and you informative site is funny as hell, keep it up. Your unwillingness to pity these people and tell it like it should be told that their selfish acts hurt many especially those unfortunate ones that happen to witness these people in the final moments of their miserable lives..... Great site, keep up the good work! (sometimes we wonder if any of what we do is really paid any attention to. sure, people stumble in and poke around, but it's somewhat hard to imagine anyone staying all too long and actually reading much of it. even to us, it looks like so much blah blah blah. thank you for your kind words.)
  08.04.12, Danica H., facebook, Apparently it is believed that one of the many factors that may lead a vulnerable individual to commit suicide could be the publicity about suicides in the media... And that how the media report on suicide cases can influence other suicides. In fact, studies of the medias role in suicide have indeed shown that newspaper and television coverage of suicide are associated with a significant increase of suicide... And maybe that's why suicide is not being widely reported in the news today... But, the fact remains that there are approximately 30,000 reported suicide deaths a year in the USA... And that it's about time that we do start talking about it! Through public awareness and education, and features information, news, and resources... Just maybe we can prevent +/or at least reduce the number of suicides... For example, media can play a proactive role by providing more information about suicide & depression along with news on a reported suicide by: Listing available mental health services and helplines with their up-to-date telephone numbers and addresses; Publicizing the warning signs of suicidal behaviour; Conveying the message that depression is often associated with suicidal behaviour and that depression is a treatable condition; Offering a message of sympathy to the survivors in their hour of grief and providing telephone numbers of support groups for survivors, if available. Hopefully this would increase the likelihood of intervention by mental health professionals, friends and family in suicidal crises! (while we could argue the role the media has to the increase of suicide contagion, that doesn't explain why they pick and choose how they report on suicides. if they feel it contributes to more, then why report on any suicide? they should report on none of them. many of the mainstream media suicide stories do include help contact information and we include that with every story we post, as well as a link to our collective help page. keep in mind we are totally in favor of any adult taking their own life by their own hand any time they want. it's their life to take. while we hope they reach out and accept the help that's there for them, it's still their life and their final decision. we also believe that there should be help in the other direction. professional help for those that want to die, but fear of self death failure. they want and need help with 100% successful death. while this is wildly criticized, it falls in line with our contention we have the right to self elimination. it is our right to die. we would also recommend they remove the crisis phones from the bridge and replace them with graphic images and details of what will happen to their body when they jump. full color pictures of jumper aftermath, along with the facts that most jumps into the water from 200 feet do not kill you immediately. explain the slow agonizing death that they most likely are about to endure. we feel that will hit home with potential suicidals. at least trying the device invented by hanns jones could hinder suicides off the skyway, far better than crisis phones that most jumpers ignore or video cameras that have stopped maybe zero jumpers.)
  08.02.12, C., Tampa, FL., I stumbled upon your website. Suicide is when someone leaves their problems for others to live with. There is so much shame, hurt and blame involved (with the living left behind). Everyone wants to brush it under the rug and pretend like it couldn't happen to someone they know. Or pretend as if mental illnesses do not exist. If we could only interview the people who jumped and died, I bet most all of them changed their mind on the way down. Anyway, I located additional information about someone who died in 2003 (Patrick Coelingh) online and wanted to share it. (article posted here.) I hope his legacy can bring joy to others and therefore bring his family joy. Don't know him or the family - just know someone that killed themselves. I had to withstand the destruction of others that followed it. I wish there was a way to make suicidal people stop hiding their intentions and reach out for help before they believe it's too late. People do care and will help.
  05.29.12, Hannah U., Athens, Georgia, one of my friends was like look how twisted and sick this is and we were like HELL YES (twisted and sick? us? like hell no!)
  04.06.12, Michael G., Gross-Umstadt, Germany, I'm a bridge enthusiast and composer from Germany. Sunshine Skyway Bridge's history is quite intriguing! I would like to get permission to record (sound) on the bridge. Do you have a number/contact? I haven't had any luck so far. I would eventually like to compose a musical work based on the bridge. Thanks (the florida department of transportation is the bridge master. they are in charge of booking the bridge for movies, personal appearances, and birthday parties. we are looking forward to "skyway bridge, the musical". good luck.)
  03.31.12, Kimberly D., Brisbane, Australia, Dear Skyway: I just heard the radio program of 'the bridge' on Friday the 30th, 2012, as I was going to work. While I wanted to change the channel, as it seemed a rather depressing way to start an evening shift, I felt compelled to listen. How very moving and powerful. As an American transplant to Oz, I feel and see the effects of depression of both countries, as well as my own struggles, which I think every human contemplates at one time or another. Please keep up your work. While the approach is unconventional, perhaps it works for SOMEONE, someone who needs to hear this message in THIS format and in that case, it is all worth it and laudatory. We need all of the ammunition we can get to help people who feel that they are so disenfranchised that suicide is the only option. How dare people deny or rebuke this right of expression, this desire to help prevent others from doing self harm, in an unconventional format???!!! What are THESE critics doing to help? You should be applauded for your dedication, particularly in light of the 'outside the box' approach you take to attempt to counteract this, the deepest and most intensely horrific despair a human can experience. Please accept my thanks for your efforts. Very few can internalize, let alone work within, such a dark place of the human psyche for as long as you have without putting self-protective measures in place, which may be why others see you as 'off kilter', to put it in the terms of other blogs. I put you in the category of other responsible, cognizant, compassionate, mental health professionals that are trying to make the world a better place through their efforts. The only difference is that you are following the instincts of your heart, rather than that which 'formal training' would dictate to achieve your goals of reducing the tragedies associated with suicide with the Skyway bridge, but also other suicides contemplated every day by thousands of people worldwide. Thanks again. I wish you strength. KD (thank you so much for your thoughts on how we approach this site on this subject. many share your insight, while others of course, decry it.)
  02.19.12, DeeDee, Bradenton, FL., (Virginia Sheley 11/00), I came here to find out a little more about my neighbor, Ms.Sheley. I grew up across the street from her. I admit that I am a bit of a "sickie", maybe a little too attracted to the details of carnage. I just wanted to say that you guys rock :) This is now one of my new favorite bookmarks. Thank you :)
  01.27.12, F.L.G., Providence, Rhode Island, Our street college (Moreu College) has a suicide prevention projest called, 'Friends of Doc' (in honor of a friend who took his own life). We post our standard-logopmessage signs on many ramps servicing 4 bridges. We use these words below (painted by hand) and also put in either 911 or the Lifeline national number: 800-273-8255, DARE TO LIVE -- WE CARE -- CALL US 800-273-8255,We believe this strategy is helping -- the turnpike authority continually takes the small signs down but we keep putting them up. The police have unofficially thanked me. This strategy may help on any bridge. Please let me know if you got this message, perhaps we can talk some more on this topic and our outreach. (while your project has sound reason, we're not sure how the authorities would feel about you stopping at the top of the skyway to post any type of flyer. non-emergency stopping is not allowed and the only place to post a flyer would be on the hotline phones or pasted to the concrete wall, neither of which would likely be appreciated. that's not to say you shouldn't do it. it may just bring more attention to this issue.)
  01.28.12, F.L.G., Providence, Rhode Island, Thank you for your attention on this matter -- we do not put our signs on the bridge itself but on ramps leading to it (usually stapled to wood tel. poles, or taped to metal ones). For that reason authorities are often confused as to whose jurisdiction it is (to remove them). That has worked in our favor. Through trial-and-error we discovered the boundary between turnpike/state police vs. local police. Our signs now have some longevity, and people have taken notice of them, so even when there are lapses of time (between postings) the idea that someone cares enough (to continually post them) helps. Unofficially we have seen a reduction on Jumpers on the 4 bridges we service. Local police told us that they will 'not take action' if posted quickly and in safe areas. State Police on the Braga (in Fall River) even thanked me and assisted me on a posting event.
  The process might help -- I can send you some samples -- these are cheap plastic panels normally used for political adds, placed on the grass or stapled (with hammer stapler) on telephone poles. Stickers strategically placed on stop signs near ramps can also help. Let's keep the conversation going Phil.
  In retrospect we discovered that small (rough) hand painted signs give the impression of a grassroots movement of people who care enough to do this. It does involve some risk by police, but it is minimal. We discovered too that police are fed up with the constant carnage, and are willing to bend the rules a bit. Being entirely honest about this activity has kept me out of court after 4 police stops. Look at it as civil disobedience -- we are saving lives. And we are now a known entity around the bridge ramp areas (the head of turnpike authority, James Swanberg [RI Bridge & Turnpike Authority]) actually met with me, and took no further action, I suspected he just wanted to look me in the eye). It took a year and a half of nervous work but it's paying off. Send me an address and I'll send you a few small signs. Keep up the good work, and please keep in touch! (movements such as yours do have a positive effect in many cases. oft times, common sense gets in the way of law and law enforcement must turn a blind eye to obvious solutions that really don't harm anyone, but may be against some written law. if you wish to send pictures of your signs, we will construct a separate page detailing your effort in the hopes others may see this as a worthy project that may be attempted with the skyway. some families of jumpers do express a willingness to do something to prevent such a tragedy from happening to others. sorry, but we do not have a mailing address.)
  01.05.12, Allie, St. Petersburg, Fl., I just wanted to say... this site isnt bad for letting people know records of people jumping off the Skyway.. but why do they have to make sick comments back to people about their relatives? You all should just let people grieve, remember their family members and put their input without adding your two cents.. You know.? It would be a much better, less hated website... Just sayin'.. The comments from the site ruins it! Some people just don't have a conscious I guess.. This is just my opinion -Alliebobally (people respond to this site in many ways. some like it, some don't. often they have something to say about jumpers or suicide in general, while others simply want to strike out at us. with that said, if we feel like responding to any and all comments, we will. mind you, our responses are most always compassionate. we will spend whatever time it takes to talk to anyone about this issue in a serious manner, either publicly like this or privately. we try to help as best we can. however, all that quickly fades when we are attacked for whatever reason. this isn't just a running record of skyway jumpers. we are on a mission to point out the lunacy in jumping off the bridge. with that comes back and forth dialog. with dialog comes controversy. with controversy comes commenteering that may or may not be appropriate or approved by all. you just can't please everyone. while we find censorship a vile conditional practice, we are willing to remove distasteful dialog when the offending attackers change their tune or make some sort of attitude adjustment, but they rarely do. you should read the crap we don't post or respond to.) allie replies:
  01.05.12, Allie, St. Petersburg, Fl., Hey Phil... LMAO! You are a funny guy! ( in a kinda sick way ). I just came across this site tryin' to figure out if they ever found that motorcyclist that jumped 11-28-2011.. and I was amazed to see how many people have actually jumped over the years.. I ended going all the way back to 2003 Where I found my best friend's Uncle...( Timothy Chance, 39 06.21.03: jumper, male, no hotline phones, hit rocks, died, body found 06.25.03 ) He's the only person I'v ever really heard of Jumping, other than the more recent motorcyclist.. which is why I was amazed to see how many there actually were. I mean I knew there was probably more... Just not that many more.. Any ways.. I didn't really Know him personally but I noticed my friends dad left a comment ( 12.01.03, william c. ) he wasnt saying anything towards you.. Just a comment about his brother.. And you like commented back in a .. how would you say.. A smartass way. That's the kind of stuff I'm talkin' about.. That's all.. If people are comin' at you have at um! But why? when it's not necessary? Just Sayin'. Just my opinion once again... But anyhow.. Good day Phil :) (i had a look at the comment and sure, even though he wasn't railing against us, he was still a bit smarmy with his words. i went ahead and toned down our response. mind you, at the time of these comments, we were still jumperpool.com and was running the site as a skyway bridge jumper guessing pool. i'm sure that plays an important part in many of the negative commenting you may find on the pre-2011 comments you stumble upon. we have since removed all the jumper 'winners' and their often harsh comments.)
  11.18.11, Blair, Trout Creek, Canada, You have a very interesting website. I have found the contents to be fascinating. I have never been on the new bridge, but crossed the old bridge(s) many times, including 1980 - 1983 after the west span was destroyed, and the east span had two-way traffic again. Never realized that both the old and new Skyway bridges have been popular suicide venues until visiting skywaybridge.com. No idea why folks would send hate mail to someone who has put so much effort to research and compile these tragic events. (thanks for the kind words. we have not had good hate mail in ages and kinda miss it.) blair replies after a bit of email corespondence:
  12.11.11, Blair, The haters aside, I believe lots of people have come to appreciate the 'service' that you provide with your website, so don't get sad and give up. You have insight on a dubious topic many would rather be hushed, even family members of jumpers begging you to remove listings. I believe the way jumper listings are posted is very professional and unbiased, and allowing for follow-up comments is excellent. It wasn't until I spent some time reading so many of the postings from friends and family members of jumpers that the seriousness of the situation is realized - these people are gone, and in many cases the effects on others are profound. Even years later, as the recent updates for the listings for Arcadia Moyer and Jennifer Francis show, they can become a memorial. Likely a different outcome than was expected than with the original satire of the jumperpool site. (I did not see that site, and only recently came across this one). This has to be one of the most emotionally extreme websites there is. I just cannot imagine how the friends and family of Jennifer Francis feel, with her body never being found after several years. And everyone seemed to find her to be the most cheerful, loving person... the strange, disturbing mystery of why she would jump will live on forever for everyone that knew and loved her. Ignoring the misdirected attacks on you, another very important aspect of the jumper listings and follow-up comments is that they are available for those who are extremely depressed/suicidal to read over and over, one jumper after another how it affected the family and friends left to deal with it. A friend's son is extremely depressed and possibly suicidal. Even though the Skyway Bridge is 1500 miles from here, there are lessons to be learned from the frank, open discussion on your website, I will recommend he checks it out. Keep up the great work. As time permits for me to find and upload files, I have some more items you may be interested in for your website; maybe within the month. Best regards, Blair (thanks for the continued comment. jumperpool.com was started as a joke, as people could guess when the next person would sail off the bridge. we posted winners and their commentary, some of which were somewhat harsh. people still contribute harsh commentary and we do post it, as we feel everyone has an opinion, whether anyone else or we like it or not. at the end of 2010, the site morphed into what you see here now. while we do feel bad that people reach such a low that they feel the need to end it, we do have more compassion for those left behind. we feel there are other options, other than tossing oneself from this bridge in some very public display, when one truly wants to self die. though we can never prove it, no doubt someone will change their mind about jumping after reading this site. they may still self extinguish, just not off the skyway.)
  11.04.11, Leo Da Star, St.Petersburg, May god bless the families of all these jumpers, its very sad that they took their own life, life is very precious so we need to enjoy it while we can. Some of you people posted some mean and heartful things on here that really wasn't called for please let these people rest in peace they don't deserve this nonsense that some of you guys are saying be nice and respectful. God bless them all.03.08.11, teddy, seattle, I hate that you don't show video of the jumpers, and photos of the mutilated bodies. I feel it would be an added suicide deterrent, and it would attract more depraved people like myself. "the only joy greater than watching others suffer is making others suffer." Nietsczche (we would post any jumper video or after images if we had them and would do so without naming the victim. we have had one set of images sent to us, but they were blurry and showed no detail. we completely agree with your assessment that it would make a great deterrent, however, less something you might enjoy.)
  09.18.11, Masha Vasilkovsky, Los Angeles, sparksociety.com, I heard your voice on KPFK the other day and heard that it is not clear what to tell the teens who are reaching out for support while being suicidal; in view of this comment I would like to share some vital information regarding Neurofeedback treatment that has unbelievable rate of success treating suicidal and depressed individuals. I have gone through the treatment myself along with my entire family and certify that it is an absolute miracle treatment. To hear a suicidal man tell his story see interview with Jeff Meiring on Conscious Media Network, also please see the interview on the same site with Lee Gerdes, who is a very successful NF practitioner. I have gone to Lee Gerdes's facility to treat myself and my child and would like to state that everything that he promised would happen -did. Lee provided me with Nevada Correctional Facility study conducted with inmates under 25 years of age and the results are stunning. I would be willing to share this document with you, should you be interested. There are many NF practitioners around the United States and though various methods they use are slightly different, the results are obvious. To name a few: Man who trained Lee Gerdes, Peter Van Deusen, very nice person who charged minimum for NF sessions and who you can talk to at length about the therapy and all the issues around it. Bill Scott, a brilliant inventor of visual NF can be researched on (LA), see gallery of images/video. In the course of investigating various NF practitioners we found some very greedy people as well as other amazing enlightened beings. Feel free to contact me should you like to hear my personal account of the changes that took place after the treatment, Sincerely, Masha Vasilkovky
  02.12.11, Bob, Pennsylvania, I have been a lurker here for years. I am really, really crossing my fingers before saying this, but I think maybe---just maybe---your site is slowing down the numbers of suicides from this bridge and that is simply wonderful. Some of the discussion here, especially over the 7th grade teacher--was very thoughtful and I think beneficial in that readers get a sense of just how horrible it is to those who are left behind. Perhaps, and you may never know, people in the grip of whatever temporary madness seems to be in control at he moment may remember reading some of this content and decided against the grand exit. I hope this type of public format catches on for those who consider alternative exit strategies. A close friend of mine decided in 1981--a few days shy of her 18th B-day--to hang herself. I still visit her grave and the sadness never really goes away. But time has given me some perspective. The what might have beens, the what if I had said something, what if I told a teacher--these were compounded in guilt for years because I knew something was wrong, and chose to do nothing. Or simply was ignorant. Which was a greater error. If anything good came out of it, I learned the signs and since became very, very proactive. In 2003 a niece showed all the similar behaviors, and there was no way in hell this was going to happen to me again. I personally got her in treatment, against her wishes (because I told) and she hated me for a several years after. I smile today though, because she is still here, and the anger has waned as it always will. And the crisis is over. If I could go back to 1981, a few years of being the bad guy would have been worth every second. Every single second., So thank you for the public service you provide at no benefit to yourself. I am happy you decided against the jumper guessing polls. It was a touch tacky. But certainly not a make or break issue. Keep up the good work. (thanks for the kind words. we are sure we have stopped some jumpers. can't imagine a potential jumper reading some of the site content and not coming away with a changed mind or at least, a changed method. it could be any number of reasons the site has an effect. it could be how those left behind react and are devastated, but we tend to think the vivid description of what happens to so many jumpers, may be a better deterrent, such as this and that. this is the longest stretch of jumperless skyway since we started this stupid site. who really knows why? maybe there is an iron fist crackdown on skyway reporting. could be, but any more, skyway patrons are our on the scene jumpernews team. they are on our side! how could they be stopped from reporting? sorry about your friend. your post reaction is typical of many left behind. the feeling that something could have been done, but wasn't. you can continue to beat yourself up about it or accept the fact she was in total control in how her life ended and when. in the end, you learned some very valuable insight and was able to vindicate your friend's demise by saving your niece. that is a well earned reward indeed. thanks again for the kind words.)
  01.10.11, Ed, St.Pete, Why the change? [to skywaybridge.com] Want a warmer and fuzzier site? (maybe by a few degrees, yes, fuzz, no.)
  top of page ►feel suicidal?
explanation: The provided text is a collection of comments and interactions from a website dedicated to documenting and discussing suicides from the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The document does not contain any math questions or answers. It primarily consists of personal stories, opinions, and discussions about suicide, the impact on families, and the role of the website in addressing these issues.
distilabel_metadata.content: Evaluate the user given text extract and determine if it contains a math question and optionally and answer to this question.
  
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  1. Briefly describe the document and mention if it contains a question or a question and answer.
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distilabel_metadata.content: skywaybridge.comments2011/2012 updated: 12.07.12
  12.07.12, anon, why cant there be a net or a guard to protect these lives? what a shame. (we can not protect everyone from hurting themselves everywhere all the time. personal responsibility
  gives us the freedom to take ourselves out or not. the bridge is designed without nets.
  you just can't add nets without altering the aerodynamics of the bridge, as well
  as creating other harmful issues.
  besides, there is another option that
  could at least be tested.)
  11.02.12, Nicole P., Sorrento, Fl., I just wanted to say that I absolutely love your site. I can't get enough of it. I check it daily, sometimes a few times a day. I do not know why and it may be morbid, but I hope for jumper updates everyday. That may be sad or even sick, but what can I say other than people who choose this way out fascinate me. I have dealt with a mom who has tried to commit suicide more times than I can count, but never succeeded so this definitely hits home for me. I believe that there are people out there who are saved by your site. When I see the hate mail that is posted I think they are either trying to grab attention themselves or they are experiencing the anger step in their grief. Everything you say on here is very true. They choose to end their lives in a way that causes others to have to witness it, it is not by accident where you walk in at the wrong moment rather than you are forced to watch as they do it. Anyways can't wait for the updates to be posted. I am sure they has been at least a possible since the 24th. I have almost felt like a part of my day has been missing since your site has been under construction. To fill this I have just went and read through the old ones again. (thank you for your kind words. there are a few visitors that seem to scour the site in search of answers to the why of suicide, to perhaps get a glimpse into the heads of those that choose this end. this is especially true of those that have had suicide or attempted suicide with family or friends. we understand the hate mail from those effected by suicide. they are angry and hurt and see the site as maybe making fun or mocking the suicidal. either way, they feel helpless or even responsible and tend to lash out at us. it seems weird that we experience a record month in september, followed by a non-eventful october. apparently there is no rhyme or reason for skyway suicides.)
  10.14.12, Elizabeth M., facebook, Everyone always says, "why didn't the people seek help" before ending their lives. In my opinion, most of these people have major financial problems, because of the state of our economy. I know that is my most major source of stress at this time in my life, besides mental health issues. Most of my family and friends have turned their backs on me because they are tired of me and scared of me. If a person wants to end their lives, then let them.....they are definitely in a better place than this hell. Not suffering anymore. If a person is alive, they are suffering, and people in this world today are all out for themselves, maybe there are a few unselfish, good people left that will do something for someone without expecting anything in return but they are few and far between. People suck and are assholes, sorry for all the negativity but its' true. Also, are you going to donate money or financially support every person who has jumped off the bridge? I don't think so. (we are sorry your life is in such dire straights. we are very sure there are many millions of people in this country that are equally dire, yet they persevere and continue to try and get through life, all without the help of family and/or government. life is hard and getting harder, but that in and of itself is no reason to chuck oneself off the skyway. while we have repeatedly acknowledged our opinion that suicide is a viable option for those that truly want and need it, people should think long and hard about ending one's life over financial matters. we have never wished to be more wrong before, but it is also our opinion that things will get far worse before they will possibly get better. good luck, we hope you cope.)
  10.14.12, Devon P., facebook, I don't think financial issues is a valid reason to kill yourself. I mean, everyone has their triggers, but there is help out there if you absolutely can't do it yourself. As long as your most basic needs are met, everything else is optional and you, like so many others, will get through it. Never quit on your worst day.
  10.14.12, Elizabeth M., facebook, Thank you for the encouragement, both of you, I agree you each have valid points.
  10.14.12, Melinda H., facebook, Unless you are gravely ill, suicide is a permanent solution to what are usually temporary problems.
  10.14.12, Fans-of The-Point, facebook, I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't get involved here, but I need to say something. There are millions and millions of people struggling right now, and it is hard...but financial issues is not a valid reason to end your life. If people really believe that ending their life is the only way to escape, that's their choice...I can't change their mind. I do NOT believe in suicide...but there are people that will consider it...if they do, they MUST think long and hard before they take that option and kill themselves. There are no second chances. Also, the world does not end because you are gone. Think about the family and the friends you leave behind and how your death is going to impact them. I have a friend who lost her son two years ago by suicide...she has never been the same, and she will never be the same. His worries may be over with, but SHE has to live with the fact that he's gone and he's never coming back. So maybe this is a touchy scenario for me personally...but I just don't believe suicide is the answer to the problem...and I truly believe commiting suicide is a selfish act. You have got to think about EVERYTHING before you do it...and in the end, don't do it. Find people that can help you get through your problems. Like Devon said, don't quit on your worst day. Things will get better in time. ('fans' brings up a point we have stressed all through the site. suicide hurts those left behind. time and time again, friends and family seek answers as to why. many blame themselves. suicide is a viable option for some, but try and be considerate of others, keep it private, and tie up loose ends to the best of your ability. if you are indeed at life's end or in deepest pain, those left behind can then understand and accept your self departure. we catch hell all the time for saying it, but most skyway jumpers are selfish and leave everyone to suffer long after they have jumped.)
  10.14.12, Devon P., facebook, To add to that, I've worked in hotels for a long time. A lot of people think that's a good place to go. But think of the poor people who are paid $7 an hour who are going to walk into the room to service it and come across a corpse. It's traumatizing. I've seen dead people in such a context and it sticks with you forever. it's not just familiar and friends who are affected. The fisherman that pulls a broken body out of the bay, for instance. (you are right, public suicide is thoughtless. often you hear of the police suicide. the suicidal can't pull the trigger on their self, so they rush the cops who have no choice but shoot the person dead. think of the wife and kids discovering dad hanging in the garage. such thoughtless assholes.)
  10.14.12, Elizabeth M., facebook, Well, I have a 13 year old son who I love more than anything, I have been on the verge of being homeless and have been diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. I used to lead a "so-called normal" life, and have a Bachelor's degree in Social Work and was a DCF Caseworker for kids in foster care for 10 years! That job was so stressful and depressing it ruined me I had a mental breakdown, besides mental issues being hereditary in my family. I grew up in a an upper middle class family, and always had my own apt. etc. up until a year ago. Now I live in the ghetto, can barely afford to pay my rent, can't pay child support, and would not have anything to eat if it were not for food stamps. I am college educated now working as a waitress at a Restaurant. The ONLY REASON I decided not to jump was after reading all these stories and thinking about what it would do to my son. My SON is the only reason I keep going everyday. He is 13 and I know he would never recover. I stay here because of Him......So thank you all for your stories of how it effects the people left behind... my parents got tired of helping me so they cut me off.....my SON, is my life, I love him, he is the only reason I have not jumped off the bridge. I still think about it everyday. and don't even try to look up my address and have me baker acted, I am already seeing a psychiatrist and I'm fine....
  10.14.12, Fans-of The-Point, facebook, Well, my heart truly goes out to you, Elizabeth. I'm glad that you DID think about everything before jumping...a 13 year old losing his mother would never have made it. I wish you the best, I hope that things get better for you...I realize that isn't going to be today or tomorrow...but hopefully, in time, this country will once again begin to flourish and good people like you who have fallen into the hell of these times will be able to rise up. My account, Fans-of The-Point, is made for 80's and 90's music...but we have a lot of caring people on our page...if you ever need anybody to talk to, our page and our friends are always open to you, or to anyone else.
  10.13.12, julie, st pete, Why did she (deborah williams) kill herself? Any facts? (it's rare that we learn why a jumper jumped. some do because they are at life's end and just want it to stop. others because they are ill and in constant pain. we would assume deborah jumped for other reasons that we can only speculate. we assume it was something along the lines of lost love, job, and/or deepest depression. according to some posts from her family, she has been battling personal demons for some time. apparently, the demons won.)
  10.14.12 julie, st pete, Thank You for responding to my question on Debs recent death. I think the fact that you posted photos made it so REAL.... Hauntingly real. I would suggest doing so in the future as it makes you look into these deaths as living humans and not a simply a name. The impact is far greater. My son died not by choice at age 16. I have lived in heartache beyond what people can comprehend for 6 years now. The pain is so deep there are no words, the longing to hold my beautiful precious baby boy...so intense simply without description. I was born to me a mother as I review my soul and journey in life. Left behind is something few understand and should try to....It takes seconds to end your life, but an entire life of pain those left behind. My child by the grace of God was happy and blessed to be loved beyond words. I cant imagine a parent losing their child to suicide. Knowing you child hurt so deep they couldn,t survive..... As a parent we feel EVERYTHING TEN FOLD OUR CHILDREN FOR WE LOVE THEM WITH THE STRONGEST LOVE IN THE UNIVERSE PARENT CHILD. Age makes no difference to a true parent, they are our babies at birth through all of life. Live with LOVE for we honestly never know what tomorrow holds and it times TOMORROW MAY TAKE our dearest loves going to God. Go to bed knowing you loved and expressed it verbally daily. I love you my child Brendan as no other in the universe ever loved. You are my life, my love, YOU ARE...ME...WE ARE ONE. LOVE MAMA (with the advent of facebook and florida mugshots, we are often able to peek in on the life of jumpers. while many keep their fb profiles private, others are open to the world. we feel pictures do put a face to a suicide. it shows this was a real person with a real life that is no more. we see the pictures and often see sadness in a face. we can read the loneliness they suffer or how they hurt. other times we can just wonder what was going on in their life to make them take such a drastic measure to leave it. i am sorry you lost your son. i have two daughters and can not imagine the pain of losing them before my time. i won't pretend to know the pain you suffer. i would like to say i hope you feel better about it soon, but i know that will never be. thank you for your thoughtful words.)
  10.01.12, Melinda M. H., facebook, I love your page! I go there to read the jumper articles and before I know it, it's been an hour or so. I can't remember life before jumpers, lol. (thanks for your kind words. imagine the hour or so or so or so it takes to put it all together. ugh.)
  09.17.12, JS, Riverview, FL., I just wanted to say these people are so brave to set out to do this and follow through. So many of us are chicken and only wish we could go all the way. (one would hope the thought of being that brave never crosses our mind, but for some, such bravery is desired and often achieved. sounds to us like you may have these thoughts and we do hope you have someone or someones you can talk to about them. life can be hard, but it's worth fighting for. find help if you need it.)
  09.05.12, Neil T., facebook, First time for everything. A seagull flew in my window and hit me in the side of the head this morning when I was nearing the top of the bridge. I think both of us are going to be OK (that had to be one of the weirdest things to ever happen to you, as well as dangerous. glad it didn't turn out to be a new post on the site. although, the ad revenue does tend to spike when there is bridge action to report. glad you were able to post your story instead.)
  09.04.12, Kate, Charlotte, NC., I heard the story on NPR about the first hand account of a man who survived his jump and it brought me to your page. I lost someone very close to me to a very violent suicide and I just want to add my two cents about these kind of public forums. At the time it happened to me and my family, we didn't feel like anyone could understand what we were going through. We could feel the discomfort of those around us with the situation. We felt very alone and not able to talk about it. Families do not need to be ashamed for what their loved ones have done. To me, it is a very sad but comforting thing to be able to read about other similar tragedies and know that I am not alone. I encourage anyone who had been a victim (and yes I absolutely mean "victim") of a suicide by a loved one to seek out others and find comfort in our sad shared experience. I participate in the AFSP "Out of the Darkness" walk every year. I also recommend the documentary,"The Bridge". I thought it would be exploitative but it dealt with the whole issue of suicide and "bridge jumping" very well. There is also an excellent series the San Francisco Chronicle did several years ago that intertwines personal stories with reality of what violent suicides do to the physical body of the jumper, the toll it takes psychologically on the families and even the people that have to retrieve the bodies. Please, I encourage anyone that is thinking of suicide, please at least try to get some help. You have no idea how many people you are going to impact and for the rest of their lives. (sorry about your loss. we understand the trauma attached, as we too have lost a family member to suicide. we concur the family does not need to be ashamed for what their loved one has done. suicide is a very personal, one person choice. we have had suicide family members seek out others on this site. we try to connect them as they see fit. since we only pass on contact info from one to another, we really have no idea the success rate of these contacts. they usually don't get back with us about it, but we do know there have been some friendships made because of the similar circumstances they now find themselves in. we have had the complete movie, "the bridge" available on this site from time to time. often, it disappears because of copyright issues, but seems to manage a comeback at some point. when we have it, it's free for the viewing. we also offer the 2005 san francisco chronicle's 'LETHAL BEAUTY' articles you mentioned. thank you for your input.)
  08.08.12, B., Inverness, Florida, I stumbled onto this site about 2 months ago and I must say I am haunted by the fact that these "Jumpers" choose to take their live like this, in this manner. I have to say I check in almost daily just to see the latest and maybe re-read some of the stories that are posted on these people that must have been hurting inside to which I can not even imagine. I am drawn to this site and I leave once again haunted as to why they do this desperate act!!!! I will say that your witty response to those that choose to criticize you and you informative site is funny as hell, keep it up. Your unwillingness to pity these people and tell it like it should be told that their selfish acts hurt many especially those unfortunate ones that happen to witness these people in the final moments of their miserable lives..... Great site, keep up the good work! (sometimes we wonder if any of what we do is really paid any attention to. sure, people stumble in and poke around, but it's somewhat hard to imagine anyone staying all too long and actually reading much of it. even to us, it looks like so much blah blah blah. thank you for your kind words.)
  08.04.12, Danica H., facebook, Apparently it is believed that one of the many factors that may lead a vulnerable individual to commit suicide could be the publicity about suicides in the media... And that how the media report on suicide cases can influence other suicides. In fact, studies of the medias role in suicide have indeed shown that newspaper and television coverage of suicide are associated with a significant increase of suicide... And maybe that's why suicide is not being widely reported in the news today... But, the fact remains that there are approximately 30,000 reported suicide deaths a year in the USA... And that it's about time that we do start talking about it! Through public awareness and education, and features information, news, and resources... Just maybe we can prevent +/or at least reduce the number of suicides... For example, media can play a proactive role by providing more information about suicide & depression along with news on a reported suicide by: Listing available mental health services and helplines with their up-to-date telephone numbers and addresses; Publicizing the warning signs of suicidal behaviour; Conveying the message that depression is often associated with suicidal behaviour and that depression is a treatable condition; Offering a message of sympathy to the survivors in their hour of grief and providing telephone numbers of support groups for survivors, if available. Hopefully this would increase the likelihood of intervention by mental health professionals, friends and family in suicidal crises! (while we could argue the role the media has to the increase of suicide contagion, that doesn't explain why they pick and choose how they report on suicides. if they feel it contributes to more, then why report on any suicide? they should report on none of them. many of the mainstream media suicide stories do include help contact information and we include that with every story we post, as well as a link to our collective help page. keep in mind we are totally in favor of any adult taking their own life by their own hand any time they want. it's their life to take. while we hope they reach out and accept the help that's there for them, it's still their life and their final decision. we also believe that there should be help in the other direction. professional help for those that want to die, but fear of self death failure. they want and need help with 100% successful death. while this is wildly criticized, it falls in line with our contention we have the right to self elimination. it is our right to die. we would also recommend they remove the crisis phones from the bridge and replace them with graphic images and details of what will happen to their body when they jump. full color pictures of jumper aftermath, along with the facts that most jumps into the water from 200 feet do not kill you immediately. explain the slow agonizing death that they most likely are about to endure. we feel that will hit home with potential suicidals. at least trying the device invented by hanns jones could hinder suicides off the skyway, far better than crisis phones that most jumpers ignore or video cameras that have stopped maybe zero jumpers.)
  08.02.12, C., Tampa, FL., I stumbled upon your website. Suicide is when someone leaves their problems for others to live with. There is so much shame, hurt and blame involved (with the living left behind). Everyone wants to brush it under the rug and pretend like it couldn't happen to someone they know. Or pretend as if mental illnesses do not exist. If we could only interview the people who jumped and died, I bet most all of them changed their mind on the way down. Anyway, I located additional information about someone who died in 2003 (Patrick Coelingh) online and wanted to share it. (article posted here.) I hope his legacy can bring joy to others and therefore bring his family joy. Don't know him or the family - just know someone that killed themselves. I had to withstand the destruction of others that followed it. I wish there was a way to make suicidal people stop hiding their intentions and reach out for help before they believe it's too late. People do care and will help.
  05.29.12, Hannah U., Athens, Georgia, one of my friends was like look how twisted and sick this is and we were like HELL YES (twisted and sick? us? like hell no!)
  04.06.12, Michael G., Gross-Umstadt, Germany, I'm a bridge enthusiast and composer from Germany. Sunshine Skyway Bridge's history is quite intriguing! I would like to get permission to record (sound) on the bridge. Do you have a number/contact? I haven't had any luck so far. I would eventually like to compose a musical work based on the bridge. Thanks (the florida department of transportation is the bridge master. they are in charge of booking the bridge for movies, personal appearances, and birthday parties. we are looking forward to "skyway bridge, the musical". good luck.)
  03.31.12, Kimberly D., Brisbane, Australia, Dear Skyway: I just heard the radio program of 'the bridge' on Friday the 30th, 2012, as I was going to work. While I wanted to change the channel, as it seemed a rather depressing way to start an evening shift, I felt compelled to listen. How very moving and powerful. As an American transplant to Oz, I feel and see the effects of depression of both countries, as well as my own struggles, which I think every human contemplates at one time or another. Please keep up your work. While the approach is unconventional, perhaps it works for SOMEONE, someone who needs to hear this message in THIS format and in that case, it is all worth it and laudatory. We need all of the ammunition we can get to help people who feel that they are so disenfranchised that suicide is the only option. How dare people deny or rebuke this right of expression, this desire to help prevent others from doing self harm, in an unconventional format???!!! What are THESE critics doing to help? You should be applauded for your dedication, particularly in light of the 'outside the box' approach you take to attempt to counteract this, the deepest and most intensely horrific despair a human can experience. Please accept my thanks for your efforts. Very few can internalize, let alone work within, such a dark place of the human psyche for as long as you have without putting self-protective measures in place, which may be why others see you as 'off kilter', to put it in the terms of other blogs. I put you in the category of other responsible, cognizant, compassionate, mental health professionals that are trying to make the world a better place through their efforts. The only difference is that you are following the instincts of your heart, rather than that which 'formal training' would dictate to achieve your goals of reducing the tragedies associated with suicide with the Skyway bridge, but also other suicides contemplated every day by thousands of people worldwide. Thanks again. I wish you strength. KD (thank you so much for your thoughts on how we approach this site on this subject. many share your insight, while others of course, decry it.)
  02.19.12, DeeDee, Bradenton, FL., (Virginia Sheley 11/00), I came here to find out a little more about my neighbor, Ms.Sheley. I grew up across the street from her. I admit that I am a bit of a "sickie", maybe a little too attracted to the details of carnage. I just wanted to say that you guys rock :) This is now one of my new favorite bookmarks. Thank you :)
  01.27.12, F.L.G., Providence, Rhode Island, Our street college (Moreu College) has a suicide prevention projest called, 'Friends of Doc' (in honor of a friend who took his own life). We post our standard-logopmessage signs on many ramps servicing 4 bridges. We use these words below (painted by hand) and also put in either 911 or the Lifeline national number: 800-273-8255, DARE TO LIVE -- WE CARE -- CALL US 800-273-8255,We believe this strategy is helping -- the turnpike authority continually takes the small signs down but we keep putting them up. The police have unofficially thanked me. This strategy may help on any bridge. Please let me know if you got this message, perhaps we can talk some more on this topic and our outreach. (while your project has sound reason, we're not sure how the authorities would feel about you stopping at the top of the skyway to post any type of flyer. non-emergency stopping is not allowed and the only place to post a flyer would be on the hotline phones or pasted to the concrete wall, neither of which would likely be appreciated. that's not to say you shouldn't do it. it may just bring more attention to this issue.)
  01.28.12, F.L.G., Providence, Rhode Island, Thank you for your attention on this matter -- we do not put our signs on the bridge itself but on ramps leading to it (usually stapled to wood tel. poles, or taped to metal ones). For that reason authorities are often confused as to whose jurisdiction it is (to remove them). That has worked in our favor. Through trial-and-error we discovered the boundary between turnpike/state police vs. local police. Our signs now have some longevity, and people have taken notice of them, so even when there are lapses of time (between postings) the idea that someone cares enough (to continually post them) helps. Unofficially we have seen a reduction on Jumpers on the 4 bridges we service. Local police told us that they will 'not take action' if posted quickly and in safe areas. State Police on the Braga (in Fall River) even thanked me and assisted me on a posting event.
  The process might help -- I can send you some samples -- these are cheap plastic panels normally used for political adds, placed on the grass or stapled (with hammer stapler) on telephone poles. Stickers strategically placed on stop signs near ramps can also help. Let's keep the conversation going Phil.
  In retrospect we discovered that small (rough) hand painted signs give the impression of a grassroots movement of people who care enough to do this. It does involve some risk by police, but it is minimal. We discovered too that police are fed up with the constant carnage, and are willing to bend the rules a bit. Being entirely honest about this activity has kept me out of court after 4 police stops. Look at it as civil disobedience -- we are saving lives. And we are now a known entity around the bridge ramp areas (the head of turnpike authority, James Swanberg [RI Bridge & Turnpike Authority]) actually met with me, and took no further action, I suspected he just wanted to look me in the eye). It took a year and a half of nervous work but it's paying off. Send me an address and I'll send you a few small signs. Keep up the good work, and please keep in touch! (movements such as yours do have a positive effect in many cases. oft times, common sense gets in the way of law and law enforcement must turn a blind eye to obvious solutions that really don't harm anyone, but may be against some written law. if you wish to send pictures of your signs, we will construct a separate page detailing your effort in the hopes others may see this as a worthy project that may be attempted with the skyway. some families of jumpers do express a willingness to do something to prevent such a tragedy from happening to others. sorry, but we do not have a mailing address.)
  01.05.12, Allie, St. Petersburg, Fl., I just wanted to say... this site isnt bad for letting people know records of people jumping off the Skyway.. but why do they have to make sick comments back to people about their relatives? You all should just let people grieve, remember their family members and put their input without adding your two cents.. You know.? It would be a much better, less hated website... Just sayin'.. The comments from the site ruins it! Some people just don't have a conscious I guess.. This is just my opinion -Alliebobally (people respond to this site in many ways. some like it, some don't. often they have something to say about jumpers or suicide in general, while others simply want to strike out at us. with that said, if we feel like responding to any and all comments, we will. mind you, our responses are most always compassionate. we will spend whatever time it takes to talk to anyone about this issue in a serious manner, either publicly like this or privately. we try to help as best we can. however, all that quickly fades when we are attacked for whatever reason. this isn't just a running record of skyway jumpers. we are on a mission to point out the lunacy in jumping off the bridge. with that comes back and forth dialog. with dialog comes controversy. with controversy comes commenteering that may or may not be appropriate or approved by all. you just can't please everyone. while we find censorship a vile conditional practice, we are willing to remove distasteful dialog when the offending attackers change their tune or make some sort of attitude adjustment, but they rarely do. you should read the crap we don't post or respond to.) allie replies:
  01.05.12, Allie, St. Petersburg, Fl., Hey Phil... LMAO! You are a funny guy! ( in a kinda sick way ). I just came across this site tryin' to figure out if they ever found that motorcyclist that jumped 11-28-2011.. and I was amazed to see how many people have actually jumped over the years.. I ended going all the way back to 2003 Where I found my best friend's Uncle...( Timothy Chance, 39 06.21.03: jumper, male, no hotline phones, hit rocks, died, body found 06.25.03 ) He's the only person I'v ever really heard of Jumping, other than the more recent motorcyclist.. which is why I was amazed to see how many there actually were. I mean I knew there was probably more... Just not that many more.. Any ways.. I didn't really Know him personally but I noticed my friends dad left a comment ( 12.01.03, william c. ) he wasnt saying anything towards you.. Just a comment about his brother.. And you like commented back in a .. how would you say.. A smartass way. That's the kind of stuff I'm talkin' about.. That's all.. If people are comin' at you have at um! But why? when it's not necessary? Just Sayin'. Just my opinion once again... But anyhow.. Good day Phil :) (i had a look at the comment and sure, even though he wasn't railing against us, he was still a bit smarmy with his words. i went ahead and toned down our response. mind you, at the time of these comments, we were still jumperpool.com and was running the site as a skyway bridge jumper guessing pool. i'm sure that plays an important part in many of the negative commenting you may find on the pre-2011 comments you stumble upon. we have since removed all the jumper 'winners' and their often harsh comments.)
  11.18.11, Blair, Trout Creek, Canada, You have a very interesting website. I have found the contents to be fascinating. I have never been on the new bridge, but crossed the old bridge(s) many times, including 1980 - 1983 after the west span was destroyed, and the east span had two-way traffic again. Never realized that both the old and new Skyway bridges have been popular suicide venues until visiting skywaybridge.com. No idea why folks would send hate mail to someone who has put so much effort to research and compile these tragic events. (thanks for the kind words. we have not had good hate mail in ages and kinda miss it.) blair replies after a bit of email corespondence:
  12.11.11, Blair, The haters aside, I believe lots of people have come to appreciate the 'service' that you provide with your website, so don't get sad and give up. You have insight on a dubious topic many would rather be hushed, even family members of jumpers begging you to remove listings. I believe the way jumper listings are posted is very professional and unbiased, and allowing for follow-up comments is excellent. It wasn't until I spent some time reading so many of the postings from friends and family members of jumpers that the seriousness of the situation is realized - these people are gone, and in many cases the effects on others are profound. Even years later, as the recent updates for the listings for Arcadia Moyer and Jennifer Francis show, they can become a memorial. Likely a different outcome than was expected than with the original satire of the jumperpool site. (I did not see that site, and only recently came across this one). This has to be one of the most emotionally extreme websites there is. I just cannot imagine how the friends and family of Jennifer Francis feel, with her body never being found after several years. And everyone seemed to find her to be the most cheerful, loving person... the strange, disturbing mystery of why she would jump will live on forever for everyone that knew and loved her. Ignoring the misdirected attacks on you, another very important aspect of the jumper listings and follow-up comments is that they are available for those who are extremely depressed/suicidal to read over and over, one jumper after another how it affected the family and friends left to deal with it. A friend's son is extremely depressed and possibly suicidal. Even though the Skyway Bridge is 1500 miles from here, there are lessons to be learned from the frank, open discussion on your website, I will recommend he checks it out. Keep up the great work. As time permits for me to find and upload files, I have some more items you may be interested in for your website; maybe within the month. Best regards, Blair (thanks for the continued comment. jumperpool.com was started as a joke, as people could guess when the next person would sail off the bridge. we posted winners and their commentary, some of which were somewhat harsh. people still contribute harsh commentary and we do post it, as we feel everyone has an opinion, whether anyone else or we like it or not. at the end of 2010, the site morphed into what you see here now. while we do feel bad that people reach such a low that they feel the need to end it, we do have more compassion for those left behind. we feel there are other options, other than tossing oneself from this bridge in some very public display, when one truly wants to self die. though we can never prove it, no doubt someone will change their mind about jumping after reading this site. they may still self extinguish, just not off the skyway.)
  11.04.11, Leo Da Star, St.Petersburg, May god bless the families of all these jumpers, its very sad that they took their own life, life is very precious so we need to enjoy it while we can. Some of you people posted some mean and heartful things on here that really wasn't called for please let these people rest in peace they don't deserve this nonsense that some of you guys are saying be nice and respectful. God bless them all.03.08.11, teddy, seattle, I hate that you don't show video of the jumpers, and photos of the mutilated bodies. I feel it would be an added suicide deterrent, and it would attract more depraved people like myself. "the only joy greater than watching others suffer is making others suffer." Nietsczche (we would post any jumper video or after images if we had them and would do so without naming the victim. we have had one set of images sent to us, but they were blurry and showed no detail. we completely agree with your assessment that it would make a great deterrent, however, less something you might enjoy.)
  09.18.11, Masha Vasilkovsky, Los Angeles, sparksociety.com, I heard your voice on KPFK the other day and heard that it is not clear what to tell the teens who are reaching out for support while being suicidal; in view of this comment I would like to share some vital information regarding Neurofeedback treatment that has unbelievable rate of success treating suicidal and depressed individuals. I have gone through the treatment myself along with my entire family and certify that it is an absolute miracle treatment. To hear a suicidal man tell his story see interview with Jeff Meiring on Conscious Media Network, also please see the interview on the same site with Lee Gerdes, who is a very successful NF practitioner. I have gone to Lee Gerdes's facility to treat myself and my child and would like to state that everything that he promised would happen -did. Lee provided me with Nevada Correctional Facility study conducted with inmates under 25 years of age and the results are stunning. I would be willing to share this document with you, should you be interested. There are many NF practitioners around the United States and though various methods they use are slightly different, the results are obvious. To name a few: Man who trained Lee Gerdes, Peter Van Deusen, very nice person who charged minimum for NF sessions and who you can talk to at length about the therapy and all the issues around it. Bill Scott, a brilliant inventor of visual NF can be researched on (LA), see gallery of images/video. In the course of investigating various NF practitioners we found some very greedy people as well as other amazing enlightened beings. Feel free to contact me should you like to hear my personal account of the changes that took place after the treatment, Sincerely, Masha Vasilkovky
  02.12.11, Bob, Pennsylvania, I have been a lurker here for years. I am really, really crossing my fingers before saying this, but I think maybe---just maybe---your site is slowing down the numbers of suicides from this bridge and that is simply wonderful. Some of the discussion here, especially over the 7th grade teacher--was very thoughtful and I think beneficial in that readers get a sense of just how horrible it is to those who are left behind. Perhaps, and you may never know, people in the grip of whatever temporary madness seems to be in control at he moment may remember reading some of this content and decided against the grand exit. I hope this type of public format catches on for those who consider alternative exit strategies. A close friend of mine decided in 1981--a few days shy of her 18th B-day--to hang herself. I still visit her grave and the sadness never really goes away. But time has given me some perspective. The what might have beens, the what if I had said something, what if I told a teacher--these were compounded in guilt for years because I knew something was wrong, and chose to do nothing. Or simply was ignorant. Which was a greater error. If anything good came out of it, I learned the signs and since became very, very proactive. In 2003 a niece showed all the similar behaviors, and there was no way in hell this was going to happen to me again. I personally got her in treatment, against her wishes (because I told) and she hated me for a several years after. I smile today though, because she is still here, and the anger has waned as it always will. And the crisis is over. If I could go back to 1981, a few years of being the bad guy would have been worth every second. Every single second., So thank you for the public service you provide at no benefit to yourself. I am happy you decided against the jumper guessing polls. It was a touch tacky. But certainly not a make or break issue. Keep up the good work. (thanks for the kind words. we are sure we have stopped some jumpers. can't imagine a potential jumper reading some of the site content and not coming away with a changed mind or at least, a changed method. it could be any number of reasons the site has an effect. it could be how those left behind react and are devastated, but we tend to think the vivid description of what happens to so many jumpers, may be a better deterrent, such as this and that. this is the longest stretch of jumperless skyway since we started this stupid site. who really knows why? maybe there is an iron fist crackdown on skyway reporting. could be, but any more, skyway patrons are our on the scene jumpernews team. they are on our side! how could they be stopped from reporting? sorry about your friend. your post reaction is typical of many left behind. the feeling that something could have been done, but wasn't. you can continue to beat yourself up about it or accept the fact she was in total control in how her life ended and when. in the end, you learned some very valuable insight and was able to vindicate your friend's demise by saving your niece. that is a well earned reward indeed. thanks again for the kind words.)
  01.10.11, Ed, St.Pete, Why the change? [to skywaybridge.com] Want a warmer and fuzzier site? (maybe by a few degrees, yes, fuzz, no.)
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distilabel_metadata.raw_output_q_a_detector_0: The provided text is a collection of comments and interactions from a website dedicated to documenting and discussing suicides from the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. The document does not contain any math questions or answers. It primarily consists of personal stories, opinions, and discussions about suicide, the impact on families, and the role of the website in addressing these issues.
  
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