The Most Beautiful Suicide

Her legs are crossed, one ankle resting on the other. Her hands are clasped near her head. One hand is clutching her pearl neckless. Her head is tilted up and her mouth is slightly open. It's as if she fell asleep looking up at the sky, daydreaming. The scene at first glance seems to be peaceful, tranquil. However, it is anything but tranquil. The woman in the picture is dead. Her name is Evelyn McHale and she jumped to her death from the Empire State Building. The force of the collision is evident in the crumpled roof that molded around her body.

On May 12th, 1947 Evelyn climbed 1,576 steps 1 to the 86th-floor observatory of the Empire State Building. Once there, she folded her coat and laid it over the observation deck wall. 2 She then jumped off the building to her death, landing 1,050 feet below. 3 Her body landed on the roof of a limousine on 34th ave.

A young photographer named Robert Wiles, was across the street when he heard what sounded like an explosion, he ran over as a crowd was gathering around the crushed car and quickly snapped a photograph of Evelyn's body on the hood.

Detective Frank Murray found the suicide note she left, along with with her coat, and makeup kit.

"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."

The following part of the suicide note was crossed out:
"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."

The note continued:
"Tell my father, I have too many of my mother's tendencies."

Evelyn was born in 1923 in Berkeley, California to the parents of Vincent and Helen McHale. Evelyn's parents divorced sometime around 1940 and Evelyn and her siblings lived with their Father.

Evelyn McHale | Photo: Geni.com

After high school, Evelyn joined the Women's, Army Corps. In 1944 she moved to Long Island, NY and started work as a bookkeeper in Manhattan. It was there, in New York that she met an Air Force navigator named Barry Rhodes. They became engaged. 4

The photo was subsequently published in Time Magazine on a full page in May 1947 and dubbed it "The Most Beautiful Suicide." The famous artist Andy Warhol used the photo in his prints entitled "Suicide (Fallen Body)". 5 It's ironic, that her wish was to not have her body viewed when the result of her suicide became so public, macabre as it is.

Evelyn's solution to her problems was permanent and tragic. No one really knows why Evelyn felt like she needed to end her life. Outwardly she seemed to have all the makings of happiness, a fiancee, a job, and a family. It's said that her mother, suffered from depression and Evelyn, obviously did too. I hope she has found some peace that she wasn't able to find in life.

Due to the nature of this blog post, I feel compelled to say that if you are contemplating suicide or know someone who is suicidal please reach out for help!

National Suicide Help Line
1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line
Text CONNECT to 741741