Going Over the Edge at Niagara’s Rainbow Falls – also known as Niagara’s American Falls: Neither suicide nor daredevil, a horrible tragedy by a man who over medicated.
I was contacted by this man’s family. He was a pharmacist, named Robert Ahrens, from the Tonawanda, NY. area. His body was recovered and medication found in his system. It is believed he over medicated and was not fully cognizant of his actions at the time he jumped in the water. His family firmly believes this was not a willful suicide act.
Death of any sort (accident or suicide) is not funny; lessons should be learned. This took place in the 1980s (often suggested to be 1985). News reporter, Phil Kavitz, and videographer, Larry Frazier, were recording a report at Prospect Point for Buffalo TV News 2 when a man jumped into the water and went over Rainbow (American) Falls.
Some people think it looks like he tripped or slipped. If you’ve been in this area, you would know that it’s not a totally unimpeded dash to the water. The family believes that he did not know of the danger and did not know exactly where he was. In this area the Niagara is fast moving and relatively shallow. He appears from his position and shoulders, above the water, as if he is paddling or was holding a small item that held him up.
This is definitely not a stunt. It is only a coincidence of circumstance that a news crew was in the area which afforded a final documented moment in history.
This area is the Niagara Falls heavy tourist area of Prospect Point, along the Tonawanda (American) Channel, bounded by Goat Island and Luna Island on the far side (SW) of the channel and Prospect Point on the near side (NE). It is slightly upstream of the brink of the American Falls (NW). The Niagara River/strait flows North 36 miles (58 km) from Lake Erie on the South to Lake Ontario on the North. In this area the water averages 2 to 3 feet deep with class VI (heavy) rapids, at speeds up to 3 feet per second. The depth and speed are affected by the amount of water diverted for power. Daylight hours in tourist season 50% of the water is diverted for power; 75% is diverted during winter and at night in tourist season. The rapids above the Falls is created by a 50-55ft (16m) drop in the rock strata from Chippewa-Grass Island Pool to the brink of the Falls.
Susan Banks was the news anchor at Ch 2, and no longer works there (maybe Buffalo Ch 7 now). I have not found a recent update about Kavitz or Frazier.
I’ll put up any info if anyone has more information or more accurate information.
Niagara Falls consists of the Horseshoe (Canadian) Falls, Bridal Veil (Luna) Falls, and Rainbow (American) Falls. The international border passes along the tip of Terrapin Point on Goat Island, NY, which puts much of Horseshoe Falls in Ontario, Canada, and the other two Falls in New York, US.
The power and the majesty of Niagara Falls is overwhelming, making the Falls one of the most beautiful places on earth. You can get up close and personal with the Falls in many safe ways. The Maid of the Mist (US and Canada), the Cave of the Winds (US), and Journey Behind the Falls (Canada) are amazing.
———- Suicides and Other Deaths at Niagara ———–
Unfortunately, some people visit Niagara Falls for non-tourist reasons. Every year there are 12 to 18 known suicides at Niagara Falls (not all bodies are recovered), compared to about 25 a year at the Golden Gate Bridge. Other people perform stunts over the falls, and some people have river recreation accidents and get rescued or meet their death over the falls.
Suicide awareness, proper help and the support of friends and loved ones could prevent a vast number of these deaths. The danger of this and any river can prevent needless accidental deaths.
The lure of the Falls for suicide is well documented, but in recent years, the publicity is presumed to inspire more people to choose the Falls to meet their end. It begs the question, why more isn’t done to curb suicide at it’s source, and more done for mental health and substance overuse or abuse services.
At the Falls, many people, both men and women, have gone into the rapids quietly, calmly, and often without witnesses. Due to the rocks at the bottom of the American (Rainbow) Falls, there is a lure to the expectation of a quick finality and a hope that their body won’t be found – although many are pushed out by the force of the water and recovered. Often the only facts of the suicide are notes, letters, personal belongings, and clothes left behind.
Some reports show that most suicides (maybe 90%) are over Horseshoe Falls, and that 90% of those survive the plunge but die by drowning at the bottom (the mechanics of a huge waterfall is described like a slide on a cushion of water bubbles). With the suicide jumper of 11 Mar 2009, only three people without major protection are known to fully survive without a scratch.
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[youtube lJ7N92bapJw]
Who even cares …
Who even cares about a man anyways…?
Hahaha stop …
Hahaha stop bedwetting you emotional goof! The person taking their life is the one who needs to understand compassion and empathy you turd.
if you have not …
if you have not been in the situation where you can understand the depth of the mental state that someone is in when they consider suicide, you do NOT understand humanity, you do not understand compassion, you do not understand empathy, you cannot put yourself in the position of the truly desolate.
Please examine the state of others, and your own, before you say something that may come back to haunt you.
Was this person’s …
Was this person’s body ever recovered?
morchibaa, YOUR A …
morchibaa, YOUR A GOOF
Mr.Puglet, how are …
Mr.Puglet, how are you able to talk with your head so far up your ass,you have no idea what your talking about,you worthless piece flesh
oh my god. I didnt …
oh my god. I didnt realise you could even access the water edge i would have imagined it was closed off or a barrier or even patrols!
Thats really sad to …
Thats really sad to think that someone can kill themself.
To think why couldnt they get help for there problems.
Its very sad to see that!
Let’s all go watch …
Let’s all go watch some CHEERLEADER AUTOPSY. Nobody dies in our flick. Wait, a bunch of cheerleaders die…and a coach…and a bus driver…oh, forget it!
To the person that …
To the person that posted this video. Why did you feel the need to stress “this is not funny”. I do not think anyone thinks this is funny!
he wanted to swim …
he wanted to swim as fast as michael phelps
I must disagree …
I must disagree with you Mrpuglet,…….. sort of. You’re right in what you say but there are times when clinical depression can take over and lead you to do things that are far beyond your control. I myself suffer from anxiety disorder and before I was diagnosed I considered suicide several times, even though I have everything to live for. I sought proffessional help and thankfully I was diagnosed before I did something stupid.
Suicide is a weak …
Suicide is a weak way of escaping life at a tough time. Thats all, there’s no other science to it so no need to discuss the topic. People that commit suicide have no respect for the people they leave behind.
In any case, it is …
In any case, it is important to talk about situation like this and others where habits and actions result in death. Is overeating or smoking a case of suicide since they lead to death as a result of illnesses directly related to those acts? Our society wants to categorize everything until nobody is responsible for anything they do. One fact is indisputable, nobody escapes corporal death.
Thanks for the …
Thanks for the information.
Suicide has many definitions, and by most it is an act, direct or indirect, where he died as a result of his own actions. From the social stigma of the word suicide as a willful act to knowingly kill oneself, this is not, based on his family’s information that he didn’t know that what he was doing would result in his death.
O.K. this takes me …
O.K. this takes me way back. I grew up in the N.F. area and actually saw the original “unedited” report on the news. The reporter gasps “Holy SHIT’!!!
This WAS a suicide!!! the police found his car abandoned in a parking lot with a “note” appologizing to his children. Finding drugs in his system is news to me. If so, it was a drug induced suicide. His body was found many days later on the shores of Lake Ontario near the town of Olcott, NY, about 60 miles away.
Yes it is the Maid …
Yes it is the Maid of the Mist.
Is that the Maid of …
Is that the Maid of the Mist you can see in the background when the guy is going over the edge? Wonder if anybody saw it from the boat?
i laughed my nuts …
i laughed my nuts off
anyone who laughed …
anyone who laughed at this is a horrible person
HAHAHAHA!!! …
HAHAHAHA!!! hilarious
scum of youtube is …
scum of youtube is enforce tonight. Piles of that you are.