Reposted from September 11, 2009
At fifteen seconds after 9:41 a.m., on September 11, 2001, a photographer named Richard Drew took a picture of a man falling through the sky — falling through time as well as through space. The picture went all around the world, and then disappeared, as if we willed it away. One of the most famous photographs in human history became an unmarked grave, and the man buried inside its frame — the Falling Man — became the Unknown Soldier in a war whose end we have not yet seen. Richard Drew’s photograph is all we know of him, and yet all we know of him becomes a measure of what we know of ourselves. The picture is his cenotaph, and like the monuments dedicated to the memory of unknown soldiers everywhere, it asks that we look at it, and make one simple acknowledgment.
That we have known who the Falling Man is all along.
The story of this iconic photograph, and its’ subject are below the fold.
Do you remember this photograph? In the United States, people have taken pains to banish it from the record of September 11, 2001. The story behind it, though, and the search for the man pictured in it, are our most intimate connection to the horror of that day.
In the picture, he departs from this earth like an arrow. Although he has not chosen his fate, he appears to have, in his last instants of life, embraced it. If he were not falling, he might very well be flying. He appears relaxed, hurtling through the air. He appears comfortable in the grip of unimaginable motion. He does not appear intimidated by gravity’s divine suction or by what awaits him. His arms are by his side, only slightly outriggered. His left leg is bent at the knee, almost casually. His white shirt, or jacket, or frock, is billowing free of his black pants. His black high-tops are still on his feet.
Read the rest of the Esquire story.
Eight point six meters per second squared is the speed at which he is hurtling toward the concrete below and his inevitable demise. He had a few fleeting moments to comprehend his life and eternity.
GOD Rest His Soul.
He very likely had reached peace with his God and had accepted his journey to heaven.
Something seems to be in his hand. A final message he hoped might be delivered to a loved one, perhaps, soon to be lost in the unimaginable destruction that followed the collapse. We’ll never know.
In a lot of ways that one single photograph sums up the tragedy and pathos of the day. As do countless others.
Generally, one passes out before reaching terminal velocity… if the one is aware s/he does not have a parachute.
Some people actually enjoy the thrill. They have jets or shoot.
@7g you are a hunk of clay waiting to go splatty.
@mmercier:
do you suppose very many people that fell from a 100 story building and reached terminal velocity actually have been interviewed and revealed what thrill they felt? I’m betting not many unless it was by St. Peter.
This war will not end until nukes are used…
Quite a few of those who plunged to their deaths actually fell from the gashes in the sides of the towers that the jets created on impact. I saw a History Channel program about 9/11 in which survivors spoke about seeing people blinded by the smoke and confusion stumble too close to the edge and fall out of the building.
@Skookum:
1. Sorry, speed does not have a “second-squared” unit involved. Speed is in linear distance per unit of time.
2. I think you mean his acceleration. In meters per second-squared it is 9.8, not 8.6.
3. Impossible to know his speed unless we know how long he has been falling.
Thank you Ivan, I relied on my memory from 50 years ago and transposed 6.8 meters/s2 for 9.8 m/s2. The second squared may be confusing for those who have never studied Physics, Galileo, or Newton but it is correct. It may be easier for you to imagine the coefficient 9.8 meters per second every second. The formula g = 9.8 m/s2 is the rate of fall, discounting resistance or friction for all objects on earth. You can argue the point, but you would need to argue against far more intelligent men than me.
If we use SI units, g must be measured in meters per second squared or meters per second, per second; d or distance is the unknown in this particular situation; t is the seconds of elapsed time, v or velocity is measured in meters per second.
Resistance is the big bugaboo, after approximately 5 seconds of t an object’s rate of fall will be less than the vacuum value 49 m/s or 9.8 m/s2 x 5s due to air resistance or the drag effect, defined by an object’s shape as it is presented to the atmosphere in its direction of fall, the greater the velocity, the greater the resistance factor. Resistance is also dependent on the density of the atmosphere, without an atmosphere or in a vacuum, the formula is accurate and an object falls at a constant velocity and drag force equals gravitational force and acceleration equals 0 or terminal velocity.
To calculate distance, d = 1/2gt2
To calculate time for distance d = sq. root of 2d/g
I once loved physics, but I have been away from it for a long time. You will find these equations useful, if you accept a few unarguable facts.
@Skookum:
Thank you, but my degree was in physics.
Just having some fun with you, buddy.
First my deep sadness fr all those who jumped or fell. Those last seconds in free fall must have been horrendous.
I’m a skydiver and I call tell you it takes about 10 seconds to fall the first 1,000 feet belly to earth. After that it’s about 5-6 seconds per thousand.
I don’t have an exact time for a heads down position but I’d guess about 7-8 seconds for the first thousand. After that, heads down, it’s about 4 seconds per thousand.
Terminal velocity for belly down is about 120-130-ish mph.
As to the comment about passing out before terminal velocity, that’s incorrect. Just ask any skydiver…
Thank you, Aye. Supposedly the disappearance of photos of people jumping or falling from the Twin Towers got pulled from the Web out of respect for the murdered. I’ve always thought one motive was to sanitize the event, in keeping with spinning it as a “tragedy” (or “man-made disaster”) instead of a hideous act of war perpetrated on civilians.
I saved a copy of this photo, to keep me from ever forgetting …
He looks like the Hanged Man in the Tarot, which is said to signify being centered spiritually while in dire circumstances. It has been likened to the Germanic myth of Odin, hung on a tree to achieve wisdom.
God bless him; God bless and keep us all.
Just now saw this and read the engrossing story of the search for the falling man in the orange shirt.
Thanks for the link.
LW/HB