Death of Garry Hoy explained

Garry Hoy
Birth Date:28 January 1954
Death Place:In front of Toronto-Dominion Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Death Cause:Fell to his death from the Toronto-Dominion Centre
Nationality:Canadian
Occupation:Lawyer
Employer:Holden Day Wilson

Garry Hoy (January 28, 1954 – July 9, 1993) was a Canadian lawyer who died when he fell from the 24th floor of his office building at the Toronto-Dominion Centre in Toronto, Ontario. In an attempt to prove to a group of prospective articling students that the building's glass windows were unbreakable, he threw himself against the glass. The glass did not break when he hit it, but the window frame gave way and Hoy fell to his death.[1]

Background

Structural engineer Bob Greer was quoted by the Toronto Star as saying, "I don't know of any building code in the world that would allow a 160lb man to run up against a glass and withstand it."[2]

Hoy's death contributed to the closing of Holden Day Wilson in 1996, which at the time was the largest law firm closure in Canada.[3]

In popular culture

Hoy's experience was featured in numerous television shows, including MythBusters and 1000 Ways to Die (in the episode "Unforced Errors").[2]

Hoy's death was also adapted as a fictionalized plot point in the fifth season of Canadian dramedy series Workin' Moms and the second season of Canadian comedy series Billable Hours.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Barbara . Mikkelson . David P. . Mikkelson . Through a Glass, Quickly . Snopes . January 21, 2007 . September 5, 2011.
  2. News: en-US . Toronto Urban Legends: The Leaping Lawyer of Bay Street . Patrick . Metzger . Torontoist . January 3, 2013 . January 23, 2018 . February 7, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130207133331/https://torontoist.com/2013/01/urban-legends-the-leaping-lawyer-of-bay-street/ . dead .
  3. News: Law firm Goodman and Carr shutting down . Jaquie . McNish . The Globe and Mail . March 14, 2007 . January 15, 2019 . June 22, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180622234930/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/law-firm-goodman-and-carr-shutting-down/article1071989/ . live .