You see Coronado's Suicide Bridge in a view from National City, California. A local will notice incredible depth of field in this impressionistic composition. I am standing many miles from the details you discern.
You might be able to see the nearby cross that helped me find peace in this moment. Catching sight of the bridge unexpectedly staggered me on my walk far away. The bridge is so big that it pops up when you don't expect to see it.
This is about as close as I could get to the bridge near the end - before I moved as far away as I possibly could. I can't drive on this bridge or look at it very well. Too much blood.
Someone jumped off the bridge today after stopping traffic for hours - a lady - a local - someone we are all going to know - someone people love and care about in town. It has not yet been announced who. Someone we will not be expecting; said the fb post I saw. Family is now being advised and then we will find out. The churches are open for prayer. The townsfolk are in shock again.
Another post said, "Was on the bridge, saw the look on one of the police officer's face. Can't even imagine." We know all our cops intimately in small town Coronado. They suffer horribly from all the death and the failed and successful attempts to stop the jumpers. So too suffer the US Coast Guard personnel below who search for, and collect the broken bodies. This is the reason they park the Cutter close to the bridge - to get there quickly before the tides or in case they can help.
The bridge is unusually high so US Navy ships can get under it. The survival rate of jumping from the bridge is 5%.
This is how it happens - the traffic is delayed and everyone knows it's happening again. Then the person jumps or is saved and traffic resumes. We all wait to know. The police scanners and updates are posted to groups so we can all be informed.
I can't breathe, waiting to know who it is and how much I will grieve for her.
It won't matter who she was or how well I knew her. My friends will know her if I don't. I might know her kids or her parents. My son will have a better chance of knowing her than me. A local woman, well known, who lived in the shadow of that unprotected, barrier free bridge, has jumped to her death. The whole town will be mourning or has already started.
I hate it when it is too late to hear this song, but I will scream it out again anyway.
Here is my first post about Coronado California's Suicide Bridge. This lady is there now for a while. She will not RIP right away, if ever.
My entry for the most devastating post of the day. I thought I could move away.