Suicides at the Gorge Bridge are slowly increasing, and the time to act is now. Under my feet, a long sliver of cerulean Rio Grande roars through billions of years of geologic strata in the canyon below. For readers who live in New Mexico but outside of Taos County. At the same time, Meertens also considered whether their barrier might provide a healthy sense of engagement for those who came to the bridge feeling isolated or alone. A member of search and rescue also knew him. under the bridge, a massive project that, when completed in 2021, will be the largest suicide deterrent net in the world. Doesnt every one of us want to reach a hand out and help when we hear something like that? Bomb scare closes part of downtown Santa Fe, Santa Fe ranks No. The Regional Transport Planning Organization who also supports the construction of a barrier allocates their budget and determines which projects receive funding and when. Miera says one woman traveled all the way from England and left a photographic record of her whole trip in her car. I know a lot of people who dont like to talk about this, and I can really respect that, Miera says. Weve had missions not just this one where our people have known a person. In fact, he says suicide and mental heath are so far off the radar of most bridge engineers that he was surprised Id even called to ask. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. Taos County sheriff: Body recovered from gorge - Santa Fe New Mexican Sheriff: Body recovered from gorge possible suicide - The Taos News Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. In the deafening silence that followed, she tried to wrap her mind around what had just happened. Local News TAOS A man jumped to his death from the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge on Tuesday, marking the first suicide recorded at the scenic landmark since 2021, according to the Taos County. Though they listened to the GBSN and incorporated some of their comments in later reports, they rejected their design, arguing that the material would be too easy to cut (Jakob insists thats never happened elsewhere where its used). Theyre also before their time: As Andy Herrmann, a bridge engineer and former president of the American Society of Civil Engineers confirms, emotion and psychology are almost never considered in bridge or barrier construction, at least in his field. Don't knowingly lie about anyone for 365 days, $4.99 or anything. We'd love to hear eyewitness While the Rio Grande Gorge is a canyon created by erosion, it also follows a rift created by an earthquake. Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: $55.00 Review of Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, Taos, NM - Tripadvisor I know a lot of people who dont like to talk about this, and I can really respect that, Miera says. The Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, locally known as the "Gorge Bridge" or the "High Bridge",[2] is a steel deck arch bridge across the Rio Grande Gorge 10 miles northwest of Taos, New Mexico, United States. Your real name will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more! TAOS, N.M. Authorities say the death of a man whose body was found on the southwest side of the Taos Gorge Bridge was an apparent suicide. The young deputies extended a thumbs-up to the west rim, where Miera stood in silhouette against the sky. The death of Juan Muoz is heartbreaking. You may cancel at anytime. They also send an important message. What happens to a body during a fall like that is just horrific, he explains, thinking of his extraordinarily, , his voice softening into silence on the other line. People need to know what goes on here because if it leads to a solution that saves even one person, then to me, its worth it., Located 10 miles outside of Taos on a sage-dotted stretch of Route 64, the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge is among the tallest, most picturesque steel suspension structures in the country. That theory might check out, too as many studies have shown, the less isolated you feel from your surroundings, the less likely you are to commit self-harm. According to Taos County Sheriff's Lieutenant Marvin Armijo, the . In 2012, they completed barrier fencing on the Cold Springs Arch Bridge in Santa Barbara, and in March, they installed four-inch bird spikes on the rails of San Diegos Coronado Bridge as a temporary salve while they considered better, more permanent solutions. Though, show nearly everyone with a dog in the fight wants one and preliminary measures have been taken to get it done, there hasnt, to this day, been any change to the bridges original structure that would deter people from jumping. Be Proactive. I cant pretend to know what people are thinking when theyre up there, Miera tells me. Mainly clear. Plan includes access to our e-edition print replica online. We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content. At 650 feet above the Rio Grande and 1200 feet across, it is the second highest suspension bridge in the United States. The bridge was started in 1963 and completed in 1965. On a clear and unusually cold April morning in 2014, a family friend called 57-year-old Margaret OConnor to tell her that her son, 23-year-old Cooper Beacom, was acting erratically. A former Marine and Taos native, Miera is thorough and polite. [3] If that sounds scary or exciting its supposed to be. The sheriff's office received a report from a rafting company Saturday of an unattended death; the body was found six miles downstream of the bridge. Theyre also before their time: As, , a bridge engineer and former president of the, confirms, emotion and psychology are almost never considered in bridge or barrier construction, at least in his field. It took over two hours before they crossed Powerline Rapid to see a yellow paddle rafters had wedged between some rocks on the west bank of the river, marking where they had tethered the body to the shoreline. Every day, I wish this wasnt a part of my job, he says. Standing at the west rim, Taos County Sheriff officers use binoculars and radios to keep in constant communication with their deputies helping recover a body in the gorge. High near 95F. Everyone is so different, and everyone has their own reasons for winding up where they are. Had it been approved, GBSNs barrier as well as another similar barrier that was proposed would have cost around $3.4 million to build, a fraction of the, they had to work with in 2018 and the one-time General Fund bonus of, they received this year due to the states considerable surplus. In 2012, the Gorge bridge also received a $2.4 million . Rio Grande Gorge Bridge (Taos) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go I can see why its important that it would be, but right now, were pretty far from having that be a part of the engineering mindset. In the mock-up, they ditch the original guardrail and replace it with Jakob Webnet, a razor-thin, nearly transparent flexible steel netting system used for suicide prevention on bridges around the world. cannot be ascribed to a real person Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Its not that OConnor thinks that bridge did this to him. A rafting guide heads down the Rio Grande toward the gorge bridge. Mellower Class 2 rapids on the Lower Gorge deliver laid-back half-day floats. Thank you for reading! (Taos New Mexico) - YouTube 0:00 / 3:02 Rio Grande Gorge Suicide Bridge!!! It scars the whole community. But more striking than that or the sheer force of the landscape around us is the overwhelming sense that more could be done. But for me, talking about it helps. That theory might check out, too as many studies have shown, the less isolated you feel from your surroundings, the, To be clear, neither Meertens nor any member of the GBSN is a psychologist or suicidologist; right now, these ideas are purely theoretical. Rio Grande Gorge Bridge: Wow what a view - See 3,665 traveler reviews, 1,616 candid photos, and great deals for Taos, NM, at Tripadvisor. The feelings of sadness, helplessness and isolation that crescendo into a suicide plan usually begin long before a person encounters the means theyd like to die by, and the ways in which our culture continues to stigmatize, ignore and medicate those feelings only serves to compound the pain. Last year, National Guardsman and Taos resident Juan Muoz jumped to his death in late February, but it wasn't until three months later that his body was recovered downriver from the bridge. When 29-year-old gallery director and Taos native Kimber Garcia tells me she and her friends almost never visit the bridge, Im not surprised. The body is being transported to the Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque, where a cause of death will be confirmed. NM - Melissa Crabtree, 51, Taos, mid Feb 2020 - Websleuths Rafters first reported the remains on April 23. Partly cloudy. Rio Grande Gorge Suicide Bridge!!! (Taos New Mexico) - YouTube More recently, the bridge has also garnered a bit of an IMDb presence, with more than a few walk-on roles in big-budget films like Natural Born Killers, Terminator: Salvation and wait for it Wild Hogs. Dedicated to nonmotorized recreation, the sagebrush mesa is laced with an interconnected system of easy- to moderate-level mountain biking and hiking trailsalso suitable for horseback riding. The gorge bridge is a place where a group of rugged individualists sell their goods in a setting of astonishing natural beauty. Back in Taos, Meertens takes me out to the bridge so she can show me what her barrier would look like. TAOS, N.M. (AP) - Authorities say the death of a man whose body was found on the southwest side of the Taos Gorge Bridge was an apparent suicide. They shouted over the sound of the water, discussing how best bring it to shore. Construction began in 1963 and was completed in 1965. You start with the simplest techniques and then you slowly bring in more complicated ones as you need them, Grossetete later explained of their process. Taos County Sheriff's Deputy Lorenzo Sanchez throws a rope to Taos Search and Rescue's Nathan Oswald on Thursday (April 25) while the team works to dislodge a body from where it became caught in a rapid several miles downstream from the Ro Grande Gorge Bridge. Morgan Timms/The Taos News, Taos County Sheriff's Deputy Lorenzo Sanchez passes a paddle below the surface of the Ro Grande in an attempt to secure the body Thursday (April 25.) High near 95F. The New Mexico State Police said hikers found the man . Ive never even heard of mental health and suicide prevention coming up in community or project meetings Ive been a part of, he says. He wasnt a suicidal kid, and Id never seen him act like that before. You'll receive FIVE of our top national magazines, including Discover Taos Winter Edition, Discover Taos Summer Edition, Taos Gallery Guide, Fall Festivals, and Best of Taos, delivered to your home address anywhere in the US for the special low rate of $55. History Of The Rio Grande Gorge - New Mexico River Adventures Miera was hopeful that 2019 might see zero deaths at the Gorge Bridge until last week, when the same grim report hes heard many times came across his radio. Invalid password or account does not exist. Nathan Burton Tags Nathan Burton 2023 New Mexico Nm Cops Suicide Gorge Bridge Jump Death Taos County Sheriffs Department As featured on +3 The Taos County Sheriff's Office has recovered a body of a man who was found dead in the Rio Grande . He keeps it together because its his job to, but when his tenure is up in three years, hes not sure hell come out the same. To be fair, its not just NMDOT who determines where the money goes. The spikes didnt really work three people committed suicide in a 24-hour window shortly after they were erected but at least Caltrans did something. Over the years, Miera has learned to go home at night and immerse himself in his family life. will not be moderated. Posts that According to. No one would fault NMDOT for spending the cash to improve bridge safety thats the whole point of a DOT but if funds can be allocated for that, why not the safety of people like Beacom or Miera? Grim, chaotic, costly - PressReader People were sick of all the tragedy, says Meertens. Just north and west of Taos, New Mexico, the Rio Grande Gorge cuts through the plateau for about 50 miles to depths of 800 feet. Share with Us. [3] Construction [ edit] , but the descent can take hours. If you happen to find yourself venturing up north, the Taos Gorge is a must see. An ad blocker has likely prevented this video content from loading. Instead of pushing people further away from their surroundings in the name of safety, it would use the curative psychology of thrill to invite them further inside. (As is the case with all forms of suicide, most jumpers are, Its difficult to tell this story without examining what that feeling is, exactly. Yet a quick peek at some of NMDOTs most recent annual budgets and appropriations reveals that might not actually be the case. Weinstock held a line to the lower raft. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. They pulled up in their car to talk to him, but they only got to speak for a moment before he snapped. Rio Grande Gorge Bridge - Taos House It just doesnt feel like anyone cares about it.. Secure transaction. Suicide at the Ro Grande Gorge Bridge and the toll of - The Taos News For more on this story, see the March 16 edition of the Taos News. From the upper raft, Oswald reached shoulder deep into the water with a cinch line, trying to secure the body so that it could be pulled free, but the line wouldnt hold. It was a lofty idea with no known precedent, but Meertens says they wanted to do more for the community than simply put up a fence. Yet a quick peek at some of NMDOTs most recent annual budgets and appropriations reveals that might not actually be the case. Still, numbers like those make Taos County a close community of about 32,000 home to one of the highest bridge suicide rates per capita in the country. She and Keaun were just a few steps behind him when he hopped over the thin railing and fell to his death. Incredibly, that height is up to standard for a historic highway bridge, but that doesnt change the fact that at times, holding on to it seems almost as dangerous as letting go. In Toronto, the Prince Edward Viaduct once considered North Americas second-deadliest bridge was recently outfitted with a beautiful one, an incandescent safety structure called a Luminous Veil. The sheriff's office dispatched a boat Monday morning to recover the body, and the recovery was successful, Taos County Sheriffs Lt. Marvin Armijo toldThe Taos Newson Wednesday. A series of steel poles stationed along the bridges length would give the screen structure, but apart from that, thats all there is. Body found in Ro Grande River identified as Juan Muoz, a National New Mexico lawmakers seek to halt suicides at 'Gorge Bridge' At least 50 people have died this way since regular records started being kept in 1991, but OMI research scientist Garon Bodor tells me the actual figure is likely much higher. Taos County Sheriff Jerry Hogrefe said the body has not been identified, but may be that of an Alamosa, Colorado, man who was reported . Hes the type of guy who calls you maam and will ring you from his cop car during a homicide pursuit to calmly ask if he can reschedule an interview.