January 6, 2006
“So what do you think of that beautiful bridge?” I started to say, but she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, an odd, wistful look in her eyes. “what is it?” I asked. She turned to me with a grave expression and said — “at the risk of sounding crazy, is there a reason that the bridge would be sad?” I understood just what she had sensed, and I suspect that you do too. There’s a blot on the bridge that mars its beauty. Every time I cross it, I think about those who have chosen to jump.
Officially, someone leaps off the bridge to their death about once every two weeks. The official toll is at roughly 1300 people since its opening in 1937. Only the recovered bodies are counted, however, and because of the swift currents heading out to sea many victims are never found.
This week’s show is dedicated to an unusual proposal. In some powerful way many jumpers who seek out the bridge as a means to end their lives are reflecting an established pattern engendered by the city’s history. If all they truly wanted was simply to end their lives, they could do it anywhere. but they don’t — they choose the bridge. San Francisco’s history is one of repeated destruction and rebirth — a pattern unconsciously reflected and tragically repeated by the jumpers, acting as characters in the final act of this repeating drama. What is being proposed is a way to change that script.
Havi Brooks, founder of the project, is an international teacher and an expert in recognizing problems in all sorts of narrative systems. Using a system of learning called the Fluent Self. She teaches people to read, deconstruct and heal their own problematic narrative patterns. Her efforts have proven to be successful in resolving all sorts of issues from the personal to the communal. Hours of debate about the nature of the problem and its relation to the history of the city have led to a concept that could not only cut down suicide rates, but add aesthetic beauty to the bridge — while not costing the city a penny.
For further edification:
» Lethal Beauty — SF Chronicle series
» Suicide Barrier Coalition
» Jumpers — New Yorker
» official site of the Golden Gate Bridge
» the Fluent Self
- Thank You!
- #6: Where’s The Food?
- book review — “San Francisco Almanac”
- And I quote: “Buried Treasure in San Francisco?”
- buried history
Sparkletack was the blog and podcast of a guy obsessed with diggin' up San Francisco history. The site is on permanent hiatus.
1-click updates
Join me on Twitter!
January 6, 2006 at 12:08 pm
Thank you very much for this episode. I like your proposal, and also favor a physical barrier that can be designed with slim, tall, bars that improve visibility for everyone. (This design has been suggested in the past, but I’m not sure people understand what a visual improvement it could be.) But, yes, for now let’s reshape the bridge’s story . Since the bridge is a monument to both the majestic beauty of the place and the triumphant possibility of human effort, let’s preserve the beauty and possibility of any human being who treads it. Every culture in our city has something to offer the human spirit for this work.
A great idea. Thanks! I’m going to go to the link you mentioned now…
January 6, 2006 at 12:08 pm
This episode was inspiring and exciting. I’m always looking for ways to have are increase community and help solve social problems, and this seems a perfect fit.
I’ve long been enamoured of our city symbol, the Phoenix, as it not only memorializes the various destructive forces our city has been through, but the fact that our city survived each of these and flourished afterwards. The Phoenix is a symbol of hope and perseverence, the antithesis of suicide. Perhaps a phoenix can part of the bridge’s symbology as well. I’d like the symbol of the phoenix to be easily recognizable to our city once more (and wrote about it before on my site at http://www.jtony.com/?p=22).
Thanks for a great show (I am an avid listener)!
Cheers,
-Tony
January 8, 2006 at 12:08 pm
A very moving episode, thank you for that! Maybe you’re interested in “NPR’s Most E-Mailed Stories”: The podcast-episode from November 30th is a story about somebody who lost a friend who jumped off Golden Gate bridge…
January 19, 2006 at 12:08 pm
A very romantic suggestion, although I don’t believe we should entrust our responsibilities to signs or barriers. A smile is free. Showing someone you care only takes a second.
January 27, 2006 at 12:09 pm
Beautiful and profound. Been and sometimes at the point where such a proposal would be a good thing. What a really “nice” effort you made with this cast.
April 2, 2007 at 1:33 am
Dear Friend, In 1968 or 69 I took classes with a young man that jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge and came up singing, still holding his sandals. He did not jump off the bridge to kill himself. He jumped off the bridge to rid himself of the body that held him prisoner. He was a very spiritual individual that the Great Spirit (Wakan Tanka) lauged at him and told him he still had things to do on this earth. I think his name was Jimmy Layton. Could you confirm this? Thank you, Sincerely, Norman Opela.
April 2, 2007 at 9:39 am
Thanks for the story, Norman — Unfortunately, though, I haven’t been able to confirm the name of your classmate — or in fact the names of any of the jumpers, whether they be survivors or not. News outlets in San Francisco suppress that information to discourage copycats and to protect the families.
But perhaps someone reading this post has information about Mr. Layton, and can confirm it here.
August 25, 2007 at 7:35 pm
Probably the most famous jumper was KGO talk show host / political consultant Duane Garrett, who jumped in 1996.
June 29, 2009 at 8:43 pm
A moving narration. The golden gate bridge, like our life, is precious! Take a minute before.
June 14, 2013 at 2:53 pm
Jimmy Layton was indeed the name of the 3rd G.G. Bridge jumper who lived. July 13th, ’69 was the date. There had been some 380 people who had gone before him and of the 3 who lived Jimmy was the only one to still have his clothes on. He was stoned on mescalin not lsd as the paper said. I am not sure of the date but Jimmy moved to New Orleans and there died of AIDS. He was originally from TN. He lived at Hotel 5 Fella off Powell St between Bush and Pine.
July 5, 2018 at 11:58 pm
I can verify the story above. I knew Jimmy Layton in 1969.
He did jump
Off the GG bridge and live. Not sure what he was taking
But he wanted to go through the golden doors so
Drugs were involved. I lived on Fella Place and was Ji
Jimmys friend. Not sure what happened to him
He was on a TV show about survivors.