How to Survive Falling From a Building

4 min read

Losing your step and falling from the top of a building guarantees that you will end up as a little red stain on the ground, right? But surprisingly, some lucky people have defied gravity and lived to tell the tale with no equipment or protection of any kind.

Like Tom Stilwell. In 2013, Tom came home late and a little tipsy. He had lost his apartment keys and he lived in a 15-story building. Tom thought it was a good idea to climb onto his balcony from his neighbor’s rooftop. You can guess the rest, right? But if you want to know how the young Brit survived, keep watching.

According to the World Health Organization, falls are the second major cause of unintentional deaths worldwide, just behind car accidents. The Center for Construction Research has estimated that about 30% of fall-related deaths occurred at heights below 7 m (20 ft), which would be like a two-story building. But only 10% of people survive falling seven stories. Do you remember Tom? He fell from the 13th floor, so he had a 1 in 100 chance of surviving. But he did. And maybe you could too if you listen carefully.

Which part of your body should you land on? Can being drunk help you survive? How can you fall slower?

Number 3: The Careless Selfie

In May 2019, Reilley Hamilton was hosting friends at her Manhattan apartment. They decided to capture some views of the city from the rooftop of the seven-story building. But on their way back to her apartment, Reilley realized too late that she was walking much closer to the edge than she intended. The 23-year-old took a misstep and fell seven stories to the ground. She suffered broken bones and fractures all over and punctured her liver. Reilley learned to walk again after a long rehabilitation. Surprisingly, she suffered no brain damage. According to her doctors, that allowed her to survive and recover. So the most important thing is to protect your head.

Number 2: The break-through attempt

Now let’s go back to Tom. The 20-year-old Brit was returning to his apartment in New Zealand after a party, where he’d had one drink too many. He didn’t have his keys with him. He decided to knock on his neighbor’s door and try to get onto his balcony from his neighbor’s. The neighbor, Geraldine Bautista, remembers seeing him fall straight to the ground like a piece of paper. Tom plummeted 13 floors to the ground and suffered broken bones in his neck, back and wrist. But fortunately, he did not have any head injuries.

There are stories about people surviving car accidents and falls after consuming alcohol. But despite the common belief that alcohol can soften the body and help it survive a fall, there is no scientific evidence that proves this. And frankly, alcohol is more likely to make you fall than help you survive the accident.

But let’s see what these two stories have in common. Reilley and Tom did not suffer from head injuries after their falls. Doctors agree that protecting the brain is most important for surviving a fall. So if you fall, cover your head with your arms and try to point your feet to the ground. Chances are you’ll fracture your legs and back but that’s better than suffering a brain injury.

Number 1: The snow splash

In January 2020, security cameras in a small Siberian town recorded a 27-year-old woman falling from the ninth floor of her apartment building. Luckily, she fell onto a huge pile of snow and, [lose the comma] after a few seconds, she got up and walked away. Local reports said that she asked her neighbors to call an ambulance. As she had internal injuries, It took her to an intensive care unit.

Besides protecting your head, you need to slow the fall. Aim your body toward a soft area, such as snow, tree branches or even a glass roof. Another thing our survivors have in common is that they were all young people in their 20s. Sadly, most people who die from falls are over 60 years old. So as you get older, you have to be even more careful.

You may have heard other stories of people who have survived falling off buildings. Let us know in the comments below. Unfortunately, tall buildings aren’t the only way to fall from great heights. Can you imagine being thrown off a roller coaster at 240 km/h (150 mph) and surviving? Well, some people have. Want to know how?