A Canadian lawyer went to extreme lengths to prove a window was unbreakable but sadly plunged to his death.
Garry Hoy, a 38-year-old attorney with the Holden Day Wilson law firm, plunged to his death after crashing through a window on the 24th floor of the Toronto-Dominion Center.
The tragedy happened at the Toronto-Dominion Center. Credit: Richard Lautens/Getty
Hoy, a respected attorney with a background in engineering, had developed a fascination with the safety features of the skyscraper where his firm was based, per the Mirror.
His particular interest lay in the durability of the office windows, which were reputed to be unbreakable.
To demonstrate the strength of the glass, Hoy would regularly hurl his body against the windows, showcasing their resilience to onlookers.
On July 9, 1993, Hoy was showcasing the window’s sturdiness to a group of students during a reception at his firm located on the 24th floor of a skyscraper in Toronto’s Financial District.
While the glass itself remained intact, the window frame dislodged, leading to Hoy’s fatal plunge.
The tragedy unfolded in a small conference room next to a boardroom where a welcome event for new students was being held.
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Peter Lauwers, managing partner of Holden Day Wilson at the time, called it a “totally freak accident.”
He confirmed that the glass did not break, but instead popped out of its frame, resulting in Hoy’s death.
Bob Greer, a structural engineer, explained the unusual nature of the accident to The Toronto Star, stating: “I don’t know of any building code in the world that would allow a 160-pound man to run up against a glass and withstand it.”
Hoy was highly regarded at Holden Day Wilson, with colleagues describing him as “one of the best and brightest” at the firm.
His tragic passing shocked the legal community and contributed to the eventual closure of the firm three years later, then the largest law firm collapse in Canadian history.
Police and the coroner ruled Hoy’s death as a misadventure, a classification often used for accidental deaths.
Toronto-Dominion Center. Credit: Richard Lautens/Getty
Hoy was posthumously awarded a Darwin Award, an honor given to those whose actions result in accidental self-removal from the gene pool.
Hoy’s story has since served as a cautionary tale about the dangers of taking risks to prove a point.
While his belief in the strength of the glass was ultimately proven correct, the tragic flaw lay in the window’s frame – not in the glass that had captured his fascination.
