By Evelynn Schoenthal
TW: This article contains discussion about suicide. If you or a loved one is struggling with mental health related issues, visit this link to learn more about mental health services at GW.
The Empire State building is notorious for its looming nature over New York City and its height – a whopping 102 floors – grants a beautiful view over the city and the surrounding area. On a clear day it’s beautiful, but due to its height, it has become a popular destination for suicides. Since the Empire State building finished construction in 1931, it has been the resting place for no less than 36 people; the most recent suicide was in 2009. Perhaps the most famous person who ended their life at the skyscraper is the elusive Evelyn McHale.
The morning of May 1st, 1947, Evelyn McHale arrived home from visiting her newly announced fiance in Easton, Pennsylvania. After returning, McHale promptly bought a ticket to the 86th floor of the Empire State Building. Upon arrival, McHale approached the edge of the observatory, stood on the edge and jumped.
Reports stated that a patrolman, John Morrissey, standing on the corner of 34th Street saw a white scarf falling from the sky, and soon after heard a loud crash. A street over, journalism student Robert Wiles, heard the commotion and ran over. Four minutes after McHale’s tragic death, Wiles, captivated by the position in which she landed, snapped a picture that would later be coined by Life Magazine the ‘most beautiful suicide.’
The way in which the suicide occurred was not glamorized, however, the position in which McHale landed atop the limousine on 34th St. is what led to the glamorization. Wiles and others described it as “peaceful” and “beautiful.” Everything about McHale’s position – her hand resting on her chest, clutching her necklace, and her ankles carefully crossed – implies that it was intentional. The surrounding area – shattered glass, blood, and wreckage from the crash – suggests otherwise. It seemed as though McHale was sleeping or reflecting on the plans she had that day.
The events that led to McHale’s suicide are hazy. Many sources have said that McHale grew up in California until her parents got divorced. Afterward, McHale moved to New York with her sisters to live with their father. In high school, she was a member of the Women’s Army Corps and moved back to New York to work as a bookkeeper. McHale met her fiance, Barry Rhodes, at the bookstore where she worked.
“I don’t want anyone in or out of my family to see any part of me, could you destroy my body by cremation? I beg of you and my family – don’t have any service for me or remembrance for me. My fiance asked me to marry him in June. I don’t think I would make a good wife for anybody. He is much better off without me. Tell my father, I have too many of my mother’s tendencies,” McHale’s suicide note read. Within it is the closest we have to the truth behind her suicide.
It was known that McHale’s mother suffered from major depression which led to their parents’ divorce. The note shows McHale’s apprehension to marriage is rooted in the experience she had with her mother. Self-doubt, isolation and past experiences may have ultimately led to her untimely death.
McHale’s one request, that her body would not be seen by her friends and family, was not respected. Although her family did not hold a procession for her, the picture of her suicide became an image with ample recognition that spans across decades. The story behind the picture is significant in understanding the glamorization of suicide that pop culture continues to use today.
