Woman Reportedly Falls from SF Hotel Rooftop

On December 7th, a woman reportedly fell seventeen stories from the roof of the LUMA Hotel. Several people witnessed the incident. They were at work, on commute, eating meals, living ordinarily. Then, out of the hazy blue sky, a stranger’s life came to a sudden end.

A Horrific Fall

Passers-by witnessed the fall, taking to Reddit to express their shock. 

“I was crossing the street on my way to the hotel when it happened. I was about 30 feet away when I saw her hit the awning and then fall onto the street. At first, I thought it was building debris, but knew instantly that it was a person because of the controted [sic] limbs.” —@asthmaticatom

Witnessing such an extreme incident can inflict grief whether or not the victim survives. It is a perfect catalyst for acute and post-tramautic stress disorders. “Seeing death up close creates a strong imprint on your psyche, and the smells, sounds and sights associated with this trauma can be prolific.” (ptsduk.org) Experts generally agree that one should seek counselling sooner than later, with the caveat that there is no “best time” to begin treatment. For some people with PTSD, it can take months or years to safely revisit certain memories. 

“A man with a beard was walking in front of me and was closer to the scene. A Muni train was stopped at the light, ringing its bell. I wonder if the driver saw her fall and was trying to warn us…The experience was super traumatizing. Still trying to process it. Seeing someone die so violently right in front of you.” —@asthmaticatom 

As of December 8, 5PM, authorities have yet to disclose her age, identity, and whether the fall was an accident or intentional. 

We don’t talk about s*icide.

Speculation lives off hushed air. @Lucky_Danger, who first alerted the online community to the incident, alleges to have friends checked in at LUMA: “The staff (of course) won’t say anything.” Even well-known tattler apps like Citizen allegedly had nothing to report. As of 5PM, December 8th, none of San Francisco’s major news outlets have covered the story. 

That “of course” bears weight. Our course of life doesn’t allow for any of this. Society condemns discussions about this manner of death as much as we condemn the act itself. Our compassion evaporates precisely when it is needed most. Put yourself on that sidewalk where a person’s life came to a sudden end. Keeping quiet about it would make me feel like screaming.

We don’t talk about s*icide. Case in point: that childish asterisk. See, I can’t spell the full word without jeopardizing this article’s relevance on Google. If I do, the search engine will shuffle this piece to the back of the line. Society’s disdain for people who end their own lives has become a metric of SEO. 

I can’t help but wonder how many loved ones would be with us if only we could talk about it. My Pentecostal household is the reason I grew up equivalating s*cide with some moral failing. The same voices advocating for fetuses lambasted living people for wishing to die. Now I know both second- and first-hand that it’s not about wanting death. It’s about wanting to live any other life but yours. Pro-lifers, where are you now?

When someone you love dies

It is believed the woman fell from Hotel LUMA’s rooftop bar, Cavaña. Witnesses concur that the absence of a preceding scream implies the victim was alone when the incident occurred. Part of me wonders if the safety-netted Golden Gate Bridge is shifting would-be jumpers to other lethal heights. Another part of me says I’m looking for a pattern where none exists. But I don’t believe this woman simply slipped through the cracks. It feels as though something systemic has failed and it’s killing the people we love. 

Somebody, likely many, loved Saturday’s victim. Now there’s a hole in their lives that can never be fixed. The woman was reportedly alive when first responders loaded her into an ambulance. Bystanders attest that she was carried out on a stretcher with a neck brace on and oxygen lines attached. 

Original poster @Lucky_Danger asked if anyone had news about her condition. 

Another user answered. Claiming to have heard from first responders, @awokeshroomgirl says the woman died en route to the hospital.

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