Death of Garry Hoy

Garry Hoy (January 1, 1955 – July 9, 1993) was a lawyer for the law firm of Holden Day Wilson in Toronto who died when he fell from the 24th floor of his office building in Toronto. In an attempt to prove to a group of prospective articling students that the glass windows of the Toronto-Dominion Centre were unbreakable, he threw himself against the glass. The glass did not break, but the window frame gave way and he fell to his death.[1]

Three of the Toronto-Dominion Centre's towers: (left to right) the Ernst & Young Tower, TD Bank Tower, and TD North Tower. Hoy fell from the TD Bank Tower (known at the time as the Toronto Dominion Bank Tower).

Death

Garry Hoy was a corporate and securities law specialist in Toronto. He had also completed an engineering degree before studying law.[2] While giving a tour of the Toronto-Dominion Centre to a group of articling students, Hoy attempted to demonstrate the strength of the structure's window glass by slamming himself into a window. He had apparently performed this stunt many times in the past, having previously bounced harmlessly off the glass. However, in this instance the force of Hoy slamming into the window forced the window from its frame, causing the entire intact window and Hoy to fall from the building. The event occurred in a small conference room adjacent to a boardroom where a reception was being held for new articling students.

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 160-pound (72.5 kg) man to run up against a glass and withstand it."[3] In another interview, the firm's spokesman mentioned that the glass, in fact, did not break, but popped out of its frame, leading to Hoy's fatal plunge.

Hoy's death contributed to the closing of Holden Day Wilson in 1996, at the time the largest law firm closure in Canada.[4]

Hoy's experience was featured in numerous television shows, including MythBusters and 1000 Ways to Die.[3] It was also recreated on the television show Curious And Unusual Deaths on Discovery Investigation channel.

For his unusual death, Hoy was recognized with a Darwin Award in 1996.[5] His unusual death was also re-enacted by Joseph Fiennes in the 2006 movie The Darwin Awards.

The incident is also recounted in Philip Slayton's Bay Street: A Novel.[6]

References
  1. Mikkelson, Barbara; Mikkelson, David P. (January 21, 2007). "Through a Glass, Quickly". Snopes. Retrieved September 5, 2011.
  2. "Fact Check: Man Dies Demonstrating Window's Strength". Snopes. November 3, 2000. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  3. Metzger, Patrick (January 3, 2013). "Toronto Urban Legends: The Leaping Lawyer of Bay Street". Torontoist. Retrieved January 23, 2018.
  4. McNish, Jaquie (March 14, 2007). "Law firm Goodman and Carr shutting down". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  5. Mikkelson, Barbara; Mikkelson, David P. (1996). "1996 Darwin Awards: Lawyer Aloft". Darwin Awards. Retrieved September 5, 2011.
  6. Slayton, Philip (2014). Bay Street: A Novel. Oblonsky Editions. ISBN 9780993638909.
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