What was going on in Evelyn McHale’s head when, drinking coffee, she smiled at her groom and listened to his story about the day's plans? What was she thinking when she and Barry were deciding where and when to meet again and discussing the upcoming wedding? No one will ever know.
Maybe the conversations about the new status, joint plans horrified the 23-year-old girl and became the reason for what happened? It is not known if Evelyn wanted to marry Barry Rhodes. But an episode from her life is known and it very much characterizes her attitude to such events.
A year earlier, Evelyn became a guest at the wedding of the brother of the future groom. When the ceremony was over and Evelyn was in the room, she literally tore off her festive outfit and shouted, "I never want to see this again!"
She burned her fancy dress. It was her way of dumping unnecessary roles and responsibilities, saying goodbye to them. It was not the first time she used it - after Evelyn graduated from the service in the women's army corps, the former uniform also died in the fire.
By seven in the morning, Evelyn was supposed to be in New York. The future newlywed continued to chirp something happily to Barry, and before getting on the train, she hugged and gently kissed the groom. The girl seemed calm, happy. The train arrived in New York, Evelyn finally got to the Clinton hotel and literally scribbled a suicide note on the run. Everything had already been thought out, all decisions had been made, formalities remained and the very last step ...
What was in the note?
Evelyn wrote: “I do not want my remains to be seen by those close to me, please cremate. Funeral ceremonies and commemoration are also unnecessary. Barry and I were going to get married in June, but I don't think I can be a good life partner for him or anyone else. Barry will be better off without me. Let my father know - I look too much like my mother. "
Putting the note in a black leather wallet, Evelyn left the hotel and went to the famous, infamous Empire State Building, which has been popular with suicides since the Great Depression.
At 10 am on May 1, 1947, Evelyn began her last walk in her life. Climbing 86 floors and 344 meters, she went to the observation deck of the skyscraper. The deck of the 86th floor was especially fond of suicides - it was she who in an incredible way attracted those who despaired of finding joy and prospects in life. One woman survived a fall from the platform - after the jump, a strong gust of wind threw her back onto the deck. Evelyn was not the second survivor.
She went up to the platform, walked to the railing, trying not to notice the gusts of wind ... The wind disheveled her hair, but it didn't matter anymore. Evelyn took off her suicide note, then her coat, as if she were about to jump into the water. She neatly folded her things by the railing and without hesitation took a step into the void. About half an hour passed between the purchase of a ticket to the skyscraper and the death.
The body was discovered immediately - the police officer on duty John Morrissey heard the noise and hurried to its source. First, he noticed a snow-white scarf, a light bird falling from a skyscraper. And then he saw the girl. A crowd of onlookers had already gathered around and they were all shocked. Evelyn's body fell onto the roof of a parked Cadillac and landed in the most beautiful pose.
In a pile of metal, among the shards of glass on the roof of a black car, a young woman lay, as if deliberately taking a peaceful, relaxed pose. Her legs were beautifully folded, a gloved hand coquettishly froze on the necklace that adorned her neck, her face was serene, dreamy.
Although none of her organs were left unbroken in the body, outwardly Evelyn appearance was not damaged. The sight was so different from what suicides usually are that student and photographer Robert Wiles could not walk past and hurriedly took out a camera. Four minutes after the death of the model, her photo was taken and became one of the most famous photographs in the XX century, captioned "The most beautiful suicide."
A dozen days later the snapshot appeared on the pages of Life, and then the image of a beautiful suicide was successfully used and recreated by many artists, including Andy Warhol, who dedicated a painting "Suicide" and several works to Evelyn. Even today, in the 21st century, the image can be seen in advertising: many musicians have taken it to decorate album covers, it is used by famous perfumes - for example, Black Heart V 2 Map Of The Heart.
Relatives complied with Evelyn McHale's request - the body was cremated, the place of her burial does not exist in nature. Barry Rhodes's fiance never found a life partner and died single.
The image of the most beautiful suicide continues to march around the world, shocking and causing ambiguous feelings.
