Evelyn McHale
American bookkeeper and suicide victim (1923–1947)
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Key Takeaways
- Evelyn Francis McHale (September 20, 1923 – May 1, 1947) was an American bookkeeper who jumped to her death from the 86th-floor observation deck of the Empire State Building.
- The photograph was republished around the world and led Time magazine to call it "the most beautiful suicide".
- Early life and education Evelyn McHale was born in Berkeley, California, one of nine children born to Helen and Vincent McHale.
- Her mother suffered from undiagnosed and untreated depression.
- Vincent gained custody of all of the children and moved to Tuckahoe, New York, where McHale attended Eastchester High School as a junior.
Evelyn Francis McHale (September 20, 1923 – May 1, 1947) was an American bookkeeper who jumped to her death from the 86th-floor observation deck of the Empire State Building. Robert Wiles, a photography student, took a picture of her corpse where it lay on top of a crushed car. The photograph was republished around the world and led Time magazine to call it "the most beautiful suicide". It inspired Andy Warhol, among other artists.
Early life and education
Evelyn McHale was born in Berkeley, California, one of nine children born to Helen and Vincent McHale. Her father was a bank examiner who relocated to Washington, D.C., in 1930. Her mother suffered from undiagnosed and untreated depression. This led to a challenging marriage and ultimately a divorce. Vincent gained custody of all of the children and moved to Tuckahoe, New York, where McHale attended Eastchester High School as a junior.
Career
After graduating from Normandy High School in 1942, McHale joined the Women's Army Corps and was stationed in Jefferson City, Missouri. She later moved to Baldwin, New York, and was employed as a bookkeeper at the Kitab Engraving Company on Pearl Street. Her fiancé was Barry Rhodes, a Lafayette College student discharged from the United States Army Air Force.
Death
On April 30, 1947, McHale took a train from New York to Easton, Pennsylvania, to visit Rhodes. The next day, after leaving Rhodes's residence, she returned to New York City and went to the Empire State Building, where she jumped from the 86th-floor observatory, landing on top of a parked car. A security guard reportedly stood approximately 10 feet (3.0 m) from her just before she jumped.
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