In the history of New York City, few events are as scientifically staggering as what happened on December 2, 1979. On that Sunday, a 29 year old woman named Elvita Adams traveled from the Bronx to the Empire State Building and took the elevator to the famous 86th floor observation deck.
Standing over one thousand feet above the streets of Manhattan, she stepped over the fencing and jumped. What occurred in the next few seconds defies typical physics, making it an unbelievable documented event. You will want to read exactly how the atmospheric conditions over Manhattan altered the trajectory of a falling body.
A Decision on the 86th Floor Observation Deck
The Empire State Building has an observation deck located one thousand and fifty feet above street level. On that winter day in 1979, Elvita Adams bypassed the tourists and made her way to the edge.
Without alerting the surrounding visitors or security personnel, she scaled the protective barrier. The 86th floor offers an unobstructed view of the pavement directly below. She threw herself off the edge of the skyscraper, beginning a rapid descent toward Fifth Avenue.
The Sudden Gust of Wind That Defied Gravity
The weather conditions at the top of the Empire State Building are notoriously volatile, often featuring intense updrafts and powerful wind currents. As Elvita Adams fell, she was at the mercy of gravity.
However, just moments after she cleared the 86th floor ledge and plummeted roughly twelve feet downward, a violent gust of wind swept across the facade of the building. Instead of continuing her downward trajectory to the ground, the massive force of the wind caught her mid air. The current pushed her backward toward the skyscraper.
An Improbable Landing on the 85th Floor Ledge
Because of the sheer force of the wind, her body was blown directly onto a narrow, two and a half foot architectural ledge surrounding the 85th floor.
She landed forcefully on the concrete outcropping just one story below where she had jumped. She was completely stranded on this strip of stone, suspended high in the air, but her rapid fall had been halted. She was alive, conscious, and experiencing severe physical pain from the sudden, hard impact.
The Rescue and Medical Aftermath
Shortly after her abrupt landing, a security guard patrolling the 85th floor heard agonizing cries for help coming from outside the building. The guard approached the window, looked outside, and was shocked to see a woman lying on the narrow exterior ledge. He quickly opened the window, reached out, and pulled her safely inside.
Emergency responders transported her to Bellevue Hospital for immediate medical treatment. Doctors determined that she had sustained a severely fractured hip from the impact with the concrete ledge, but she suffered no other life threatening injuries.
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