Evelyn McHale – The Saddest Photograph

I agree, it is so sad that we only know her in death, we should also know her in life as a pretty young lady who was so sad and never had anyone to talk with who might have been able to prevent this tragedy. Doesn't anyone know where she was from or who her family were !

I tried to do a search to find out more about her and her family, but couldn't find anything aside from the reports of her death. So many of us would like to know more about her. Someone needs to write a book about the woman behind the photograph.

Found this link that tells a bit about her:http://www.everydayfiction.com/the-unstoppable-…..

I have been doing research on Evelyn…here's what I have so far.
Info came from several newspapers, and other documents on Ancestry.com.
I hope it helps shed some light on why she chose to end her life…
Evelyn Francis McHale was born in Berkeley California Sept 20, 1923. She was the sixth of seven children, the first four children were born 1 year apart, the last three were born approx 2 years apart.
Her father Vincent McHale was a bank examiner, orig from Illinois, her mother Helen, orig from Pa, was a housewife.
Around 1930, they moved to Washington, DC, where her father became an examiner for the Federal Land Bank. Also at this time the mother left, moving to an apartment in another part of DC.
The father retained custody of all seven children. Evelyn was 6, her younger brother was 3.
Whether the mother left voluntarily or was told to leave is unknown at his time.
After high school, in 1943, Evelyn joined the WAC and was stationed in Jefferson Mo.
After she was discharged, she burned her uniform.
At some point, she moved to NYC to work, and met and became engaged to a young man named Barry Rhodes, a 24 year old just out of the Air Force and attending Lafayette College in Easton Pa.
They were to be married at his brother's house in Troy, NY.
A year prior to her death, Evelyn had been a bridesmaid at Barry's younger brother's wedding. After the wedding, she removed her bridesmaid gown, said "I never want to see this again" and burned it.
On the day she jumped, Barry said she was happy and looking forward to the marriage when she left him and boarded the train home.
There was a security guard less than twelve feet from where she jumped.
In her suicide note, she wrote the following:
" My fiance asked me to marry him in June, but I don't think I would make a good wife for anyone. He is much better off without me. Tell my father, I have too many of my mother's tendencies. I don't want anyone in or out of my family to see any part of me. Could you destroy my body by cremation? I beg of you and my family -don't have any service or remembrance for me."
She was cremated as requested.
There is a picture of her–perhaps a yearbook pic…I don't know– in a couple of newspapers. As soon as I get a copy of it it, I will post it.

This is a sad world we live in.

I would state what is probably obvious: she was clearly dealing with depression and/or mental illness of some sort (perhaps manic depression)…whether acquired and/or hereditary I don’t know. It can run in familes and also be fed by circumstance and/or trauma. I’m so sorry this happened; she really did look and seem like such a sweet girl.

I dont think she suffered from any illness. Like everyone else has said, there is not much information on this woman. However, from what I’ve read this seems to be a suicide out of guilt or shame. In the letter, she states “Tell my father, I have too many of my mother’s tendencies…” Clearly this hints that the cause of her father and mother’s seperation was due to some negative matter or behavior on the mother’s side. Perhaps there was a pattern of infidelity or promiscuity that followed the late Evelyn McHale, which may have also been observed in her mother’s habits. I don’t know why, but I strongly sense this may have been the cause or something similar to it