Evelyn Mchale Death Obituary: Why Did She Commit Suicide? Is the renowned shot “The Most Beautiful Suicide” turned into a color photo? The woman featured in Time magazine’s everlasting image was Evelyn McHale.
Evelyn McHale was a bookkeeper from the United States who committed suicide by jumping from one of the iconic buildings.
She worked at the Kitab Engraving Company on Pearl Street.
Evelyn Mchale Color Photo
In the early 1900s, the invention of color photos was not yet a mainstream thing where people had easy accessibility. As a result, there is no color photo of Evelyn McHale.
On the other hand, there are numerous black-and-white images of Evelyn on the internet.
In Berkeley, California, she was born to Vincent McHale and Helen McHale.
Evelyn’s father worked as a bank examiner in Washington, D.C., after moving there in 1930. Her mother had undiagnosed and untreated depression, leading to a tumultuous marriage that ended in divorce.
Vincent attained custody of all of the children and relocated to Tuckahoe, New York. Evelyn had eight siblings altogether.
The Most Beautiful Suicide: Famous Picture Explained
Four minutes after Evelyn McHale jumped from the Empire State Building’s 86th-floor observation deck and landed on top of a parked automobile, a photograph was taken.
It was clicked by a photography student named Robert Wiles.
The famous suicide photograph has gotten national and worldwide attention. The photograph has been labeled “the most beautiful suicide.”
'The Most Beautiful Suicide': A Violent Death, an Immortal Photo– 23 year-old Evelyn McHale jumped from the 83rd floor of the Empire State Building and landed on a United Nations limousine, 1947 pic.twitter.com/dsM5Slhvbz
— Classic Pics (@ClassicPixs) January 22, 2022
Evelyn was still wearing a pearl necklace and appeared incredibly peaceful and composed, as if she was sleeping. Broken glass and crumpled sheet metal from a car-top indicate how brutally devastating the jump was.
McHale’s left hand is gloved and lies on her chest, her feet crossed at the ankles.
Time magazine was the first publication to declare it “the most beautiful suicide.”
This image has lived on for more than 70 years.
Evelyn Mchale Death Obituary: Why Did She Commit Suicide?
Evelyn McHale traveled from New York to Easton, Pennsylvania, on April 30, 1947, to see her fiance, Barry Rhodes. Evelyn returned to New York City the next day after leaving his home.
She went to the Empire State Building and leaped from the observation deck on the 86th floor.
Detective Frank Murray discovered her suicide note in a black pocketbook next to her nicely folded cotton coat.
Her suicide note read, “I don’t want anyone in or out of my family to see any part of me. Could you destroy my body by cremation?”
This suicide note from Evelyn McHale is just it…you can tell she was tired! pic.twitter.com/b7S0kUaT2O
— SONGOLE?? (@asaph__) October 25, 2016
She stated that her fiance asked her to marry him in June and Evelyn didn’t think she would make a good wife for anybody.
She further stated, “He is much better off without me. Tell my father I have too many of my mother’s tendencies.”
Evelyn Mchale Documentary
Evelyn McHale’s story has not been documented, but rather a group of producers and writers have developed a short movie regarding her tragic yet beautiful life.
The name of the film is “Soul Descends.”
