No one knows what the body can do. -Spinoza

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Iconic Photo: Photo 2


Immediately after jumping off an 8-story ledge in an attempt to kill herself, this woman was caught BY THE NECK by a community aid worker in Changchun, Jilin province. The woman had just been broken up with by her boyfriend of four years, immediately prior to their wedding. She was still wearing her wedding dress when she jumped. Thanks to the aid workers quick grab, she survived the jump.

image found in this INCREDIBLE series of images of China in the ATLANTIC
image originally shown in CHINA DAILY

This picture likely seems an odd choice for an image of an inspirational woman. The series though shows how she was actually caught (by the neck), and then saved, with the help of people from the floor below too. The chances of this happening are miraculously small. This photo counts as inspirational in my mind because of what a reminder it is that no matter how bad things get, there can still be people there that care enough to help you.

1 comment:

  1. Wow...there is so much to say about the picture, first the fact that it IS a miracle that she was caught, and though their faces are small it looks like both of them are so calm. How her dress shapes around her, almost like wings, is amazing. She is looking up at him and he is looking at her in such a way that you wonder if this amazing experience brought them together? Because I think people are immediately connected in a deep way once they share something so monumental. I also love how in the 2nd and 3rd pic, someone is holding on to her feet.

    She could have struggled, she could have kicked and fallen to her death. But she didn't. She allowed people to care and express love in her darkest moment; she didn't slip away. That IS inspirational. Very cool Elaine, very cool!!!

    ReplyDelete