Buzz
When individuals attempt suicide, their intentions are typically clear. However, more often than not, these attempts do not unfold as they anticipate.
Statistics suggest that for every successful suicide, there are approximately 33 failed attempts. In the best scenario, those who survive are provided with the necessary help and support. In the worst case, the consequences can be far-reaching and unforeseen. Below are ten instances of suicide attempts that led to unplanned outcomes.
10. On Solid Ground
It seems a life can indeed be valued, with £1 million being the price placed on Amy Beth Dallamura’s life. She repeatedly attempted suicide by throwing herself into the sea near her Welsh village, prompting rescue teams to be called 50 times. Her persistence led to concerns about the danger she posed to others due to the considerable financial and time resources spent. A court order was eventually issued to prevent her from entering the water again.
Despite this, her attempts were not deterred, and emergency services were once again summoned four times in just five days to rescue an unconscious Dallamura from the sea. When the case went back to court, she was granted bail with the condition that she remain at least 50 meters (164 feet) away from any part of the British coastline. The judge expressed sympathy for Ms. Dallamura, who explained her suicide attempts as a result of severe back pain that she needed help with. He remarked, “I wish to assist this woman, not punish her.”
Tragically, two years later, in 2009, Amy Beth was found again near the cliffs close to her home, prompting another court appearance. The ruling prohibiting her from going near the coastline remained in effect.
9. A Plan Gone Wrong
Suicide is an always tragic and often jarring event, but rarely does it require the evacuation of an entire street. In 2017, however, Kevin Carroll, a 33-year-old from Manchester, England, reached a breaking point after his ten-year relationship ended and decided his life was no longer worth living. He cut a gas pipe in his rented home, lay down, covered his head with a duvet, and waited for death. But instead of dying, he fell asleep.
He was later awakened by a roommate knocking on his door. Carroll felt groggy and disoriented. At some point, he grabbed his lighter and lit it. The resulting explosion utterly destroyed the house, leaving it unrecognizable. Carroll’s roommate was knocked to the ground and required an induced coma due to smoke inhalation. Nearby homes were severely damaged, forcing neighbors to find temporary shelter, including an elderly man who was in bed when his roof collapsed on him. A nearby elementary school had to evacuate its distraught students.
The house’s owner was left with a £135,000 bill for repairs, as her insurance refused to cover the damages. As for Kevin, he emerged with only minor injuries. After being rescued from the second floor, he spent some time in the hospital recovering. He was later arrested and sentenced to 32 months in prison.
8. A Single Bullet
When police arrived at the Anchorage apartment of Brittany Mae Haag and her boyfriend Victor Sibson, they found both suffering from gunshot wounds. Brittany had been shot in the chest, and Victor had been shot in the head. The perplexing part was that only one bullet casing was discovered at the scene.
Before falling unconscious, Brittany managed to provide an explanation. Prosecutors claim that on the morning of April 19, 2017, Victor became heavily intoxicated and made the decision to shoot himself in the head. He took the gun he had purchased and pressed the barrel against his left temple. Brittany tried to intervene. Victor pulled the trigger, and the bullet passed through his head and struck her chest. Brittany died, while Victor survived.
Later, Victor stated that he could not remember the events. When he appeared in court with a helmet covering his injuries, he asked, “Can we determine whether I’m guilty today?”
7. An Unlikely Witness
When Michigan police arrived and found Glenna and Marty Duram lying in their bedroom with gunshot wounds, they initially suspected a double homicide. However, the evidence didn’t quite add up. Marty had been shot five times, while Glenna only had one gunshot wound behind her right ear. Nearby, they found notes that appeared to be written by Glenna, asking for her children's forgiveness. Furthermore, there was the issue of Glenna’s gambling addiction, which had led, without Marty’s knowledge, to their house being put up for auction—an auction scheduled for that very day. And, to top it all off, Glenna wasn’t dead. It seemed the police were dealing with a partially failed murder-suicide.
In 2016, a year later, no arrests had been made, much to the frustration of Marty’s family. Then, a video surfaced that seemed to feature the only witness to the shooting. The video showed this witness mimicking an argument between a man and a woman. The man angrily shouts, “Get your (expletive) over here,” followed by a voice, sounding much like Marty’s, saying, “Don’t (expletive) shoot!” The twist was that the so-called witness was a parrot named Bud. Bud, an African grey, had been Marty’s previous wife’s pet, and after Marty’s death, she took Bud back.
Three weeks after Bud made the news, Glenna was arrested and charged with Marty’s murder. Prosecutors argue that the parrot’s “testimony” had no influence on their decision to arrest Glenna, and Bud was not called to testify because, as prosecutor Bob Springstead humorously pointed out, how would the bird be sworn in? 'Would he raise a wing? A foot?' Despite this, Glenna was convicted of Marty’s murder and sentenced to life in prison.
6. The Wrong Lives Lost
Unable to cope with his jealousy, he became extremely intoxicated and waded into the water, intending to end his life. Four others who were with him tried to rescue him, but all four drowned. They were between 17 and 19 years old. Two other friends managed to pull Khun from the water. He survived, but it took hours to recover the bodies of his friends.
5. When a Suicide Isn't Quite What It Seems
On March 14, 2017, Katrina Goss went to put her 11-year-old son, Tysen Benz, to bed, only to discover that he was not in his bed. Instead, she found him hanging in his closet by his belt. Despite being rushed to the hospital, Tysen passed away a few weeks later. Tysen had been in communication with a 13-year-old girl online and via text, thinking of her as his girlfriend.
On that tragic night, the girl decided to prank Tysen by making him believe that she had taken her own life. She messaged him with her plan, and soon after, she used a different computer to impersonate her friend and told Tysen that she had, in fact, died.
Although the exact thoughts in Tysen’s mind remain unknown, prosecutors believe the distress caused by the false information was so overwhelming that it led him to take his own life. The 13-year-old girl has since been charged with malicious use of social media.
4. A Tragic Decision. In Moscow, a man found himself embroiled in a heated argument with his wife. Deeply shaken by the conflict, he turned to alcohol in an attempt to find solace, but found no comfort in a drink of vodka. In his despair, he chose to leap from the ninth floor of his apartment building. Miraculously, he survived, likely due to the intervention of a seven-year-old girl who broke his fall.
In Moscow, a man was overwhelmed by a quarrel with his wife. In his anguish, he felt that even a strong drink of vodka could not ease his despair. In a moment of desperation, he jumped from the ninth floor of his apartment building. He survived, possibly due to a seven-year-old girl who broke his fall.
The young girl sustained severe injuries and spent several weeks in the hospital. Her parents, understandably, felt they should not be burdened with the costs of her treatment. A court ruled in their favor, ordering the man responsible for her injuries, who was suffering from suicidal tendencies, to pay 100,000 rubles towards her medical expenses.
3. A New Chapter
Helen Galsworthy, an 18-year-old from Hampshire, England, made her way to the railway tracks near her home, feeling overwhelmed by her struggles with depression and a cocaine addiction she could not overcome. She lay down on the tracks, put on music, closed her eyes, and waited for the train. In those moments, she felt a strange sense of peace. However, something was amiss. At the last second, she realized that only her legs were positioned over the tracks, but it was too late. Helen remained conscious just long enough to witness the horror of her severed legs. A dog walker discovered her and quickly rushed her to the hospital, where she spent six weeks recovering.
Helen’s recovery was challenging. She faced the emotional and physical struggle of adjusting to life without her legs and learning to use prosthetics. As she worked through her grief, she started a relationship, but life had another surprise for her—she found out she was pregnant. Initially, she worried about how her body would handle pregnancy, but after much reflection, she chose to keep the baby. Helen believes it was the right decision and now considers her son, Thomas, to be the best thing that ever happened to her.
After giving birth to Thomas, Helen returned to university, focusing on criminology. She also began volunteering in the psychiatric ward where she had once been a patient, finding fulfillment in helping others. Now, she is happier than ever, living a life full of purpose and joy.
2. An Unexpected Twist of Fate
Little is known about Vera Czermak's life, but it seems to have been shaped by one fateful event in the late 1970s. Vera resided in Prague with her husband, though their relationship was troubled. Eventually, she discovered that he had been unfaithful. In line with recurring themes in this list, she turned to thoughts of ending her life.
In a desperate attempt, she leapt from her third-floor balcony, but a passerby intervened, breaking her fall. Tragically, he lost his life in the process, dying on the spot when she landed on him. The man? Her unfaithful spouse.
1. ... Or Perhaps Two
"She wanted a divorce. I decided to give her a divorce, and I took a 12-gauge shotgun to make that happen." These were Monte B. Callaway's words as he explained his motive for walking into a bar in Oregon and shooting himself in the head. The blast severed his lower jaw and destroyed most of his teeth. Prior to this, he had fired at a man he believed was having an affair with his wife, which ultimately landed him in prison.
While awaiting trial, Callaway had been undergoing reconstructive surgery on his face, paid for by his insurance. However, once incarcerated, the surgeries ceased, and he was left with a mouth so small that he struggled to even fit a spoon inside it. Forced to rely on soft foods, he decided to file a lawsuit to compel the state of Oregon to cover the remaining $45,000 cost for reconstructive surgery.
Oregon, unsurprisingly, was opposed to this request. Callaway's legal team argued that he was not receiving enough nutrition and would become a recluse reliant on welfare once released. However, the court rejected this argument, and Callaway's case was dismissed.
