Edwin Robert-Steven Lynch, a 22-year-old recent resident of Bunnell, jumped to his death off the Flagler Beach bridge early Tuesday afternoon as a bystander was attempting to prevent him from leaping into the void.
Lynch fell on the south side of the bridge, at the north end of the parking lot below, opposite the boat ramp at Betty Steflik Park. He was pronounced dead from massive head injuries at 1 p.m. by the Flagler Beach Fire Department’s Rescue 11.
Lynch, originally from Virginia, did not leave behind a suicide note. He was known to have had a troubled past, psychologically, with depression and suicidal tendencies. He did not have identification on him, prompting a call to the Florida Highway Patrol, which was able to identify him through its Rapid ID system, which uses fingerprinting to zero in on an individual’s identity.
A 57-year-old resident of Flagler Beach witnessed Lynch jumping off the bridge. The woman was riding her bicycle on the bridge when she saw “a tall man with bandana on his head,” wearing gray-green shorts and a t-shirt, walking west on the eastbound side of the bridge, in the bicycle lane. That was Lynch. She then saw Lynch “step up on the rail,” according to a statement she wrote for Flagler Beach police.
“I yelled, ‘Hey, Hey!,’ but it only propelled his next step faster to jump over the edge,” the Flagler Beach resident wrote. The woman called 911 several times, but “my call kept dropping,” she noted, though rescuers arrived at the scene, as did units of the Flagler Beach police, within minutes.
Others also witnessed the suicide, but no children did (though a man and his child were not far, below the bridge, at the time of the incident: they were directed away from the scene.)
St. John’s Family Funeral Home was called to remove the body.
It is not clear when the last suicide off the Flagler Beach bridge took place. Two attempted suicides in the last three years have failed. On March 19, 2013, James Clark, 40, jumped into the water and was rescued by fishermen nearby. He was flown to Halifax hospital and survived. On April 28, 2014, John Allan Waugaman, 53, of Marbella Court in Palm Coast, jumped into the water. He, too, survived after being saved by visitors, then flown to Halifax. The last known suicide off a bridge in Flagler County took place on April 16, 2011, when Jane Allen, 50, of Palm Coast, jumped from the Hammock Dunes Bridge.
This afternoon, just 24 hours after Lynch jumped, there was not so much as a flower marking the place where he fell. A balloon was later attached to the spot on the bridge from which he jumped. In subsequent days, a memorial took shape with flowers, candles and messages.
Dave St. Clair says
Prayers and thoughts out to his family and friends . Tough to think about but the darkness exists….
Geezer says
Mr. Lynch, all of twenty-two, decided to bow out of this life.
He must have been suffering a great deal to take such a
radical step into the black vaccuum of nothing that death is.
I wish that he had received better help.
His life was precious; I don’t think he knew that……
I am sorry for Edwin and those who will miss him.
R.I.P Edwin.
Anonymous says
So very sad. I wish only peace for his family and any other loved ones.
Doyle Lewis says
People just need to care and LOVE a lot MORE….
confidential says
So sad and I hope the Almighty embrace him with heavenly peace. A family lost a beloved child today… me heart felt sympathy to them all. Mental illness and depression has to be addressed.
anonymous says
My heart goes out to him and his family. Depression is a sad and lonely disease. There is so much that needs to be done for people like this young man to avoid such tragic endings
unknown resident says
I never knew Edwin but his life is now over. So young, with so much life ahead. We all need to pay attention more to what is happening with our children today. Yes the help needed is not always available or too expensive however if you notice someone who seems down or sad don’t be afraid to do a random act of kindness show a smile and give someone encouragement. To his family I don’ t know, my heart pours out for you losing a child under any circumstances no matter what the reason. We as a community need to support this family regardless. You never know your own child may be struggling as well. This should be a wake up call to all who take life for granted in our busy lives today and every day may he rest in peace and God be with his family during this time. Prayers for all.
Philip says
Very very sad…. When this happens, I feel that I was robbed and cheated out of the number of years that he could have lived and been part of my life and been part of others lives. I speak from experience, as my brother cut his life short and he is sorely missed !!! Please realize that each of us is very important and unique in life. Tough times happen, but please, please push through them…. Find ways to encourage yourself and surround yourself with people that you want to be like (and that might be able to help you on your journey of life)!!! Talk to others and talk to the suicide prevention line at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
TeddyBallGame says
For too many this world is an overwhelming sad and cruel place. Why is that, God?
One of God's children says
Thank you Phillip. What you had to say was very encouraging. So sorry for your loss.
Surfs Up says
So sad. My thoughts and prayers go out to this young mans family and friends. May his soul rest in peace.
alice says
Prayers for the Family . I walk that bridge every day & I have seen him many of times out there if ONLY I knew as I passed him saying good evening . That he was in pain , I would have been more then happy to sat with him as long as needed , but he just smiles and nods his head as he passes . Now u r an ANGEL u feel no pain, u suffer no pain , R.I.P ……Please remember DEPRESSION IS REAL !!!
Anonymous says
yes mental illness is very sad and there is not much help especially here in FLORIDA
Friend of the Father says
I know commenters mean well, but simplistic comments like “care and love more” and “pay more attention to our children” are grotesquely ignorant of the issues around clinical depression. The family couldn’t have loved Edwin more, and those kinds of comments will feed the needless and undeserved guilt that will already be there for the family of any depression suicide victim. It’s not likely that the family could have done anything to prevent this. My brother took his own life, also a sufferer of depression. Depression is not about an otherwise rational person being sad about something, it’s an illness that predisposes the person to react out of proportion to perceived downturns or slights or events that a ‘normal’ person could handle.
Sadye Johns-Lynch says
Thank you all for your kind words. It means more than you will know. We will miss Eddie every day. He was in a lot of pain and we hope, wherever he is, the pain is gone. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. It warms my heart to know that you all are thinking of him and us.
Love,
Sadye (Eddie’s sister)
Flagler Local says
I agree ‘Friend of the Father’. People commenting certainly mean well but as a sufferer of depression (thankfully not to his extent), I can tell you that it doesn’t matter how much someone loves you or how much care they provide. Depression and suicidal tendencies from a clinical aspect are a result of a chemical imbalance in the brain which is why it can be so frustrating for families who give 100% of their love only to see something like this happen. It is not their fault and it is a battle that will just go in circles for the person afflicted.
HockeyDad says
I am so heart-broken for this family. The father and brother give so much of their time and effort to help other young men grow, but have to suffer this terrible tragedy together. May they find the strength to endure this blow through understanding that Edwin was beyond their reach and knowing that they can continue to help others.
Anonymous says
Very unfortunate and very sad to know that a 22 year-old could not handle life.
May he rest in peace wherever he is.
Connie Murphy says
We are friends of Eddie, and are so grief-stricken to hear that his pain overwhelmed him. From a very early age, Eddie had a very painful home life in Alaska, He was not adopted until he was 6 and a lot of things happened to him before that time.
His adoptive family in Virginia did they best they could for him. He was a smart, fun, capable young man, and he went to Florida seeking a second chance and a better life. But Eddie had major problems and it is evident now that he was not in a place emotionally to able get the help he knew he needed. We will miss him a lot. Please don’t judge his family or friends.
But be kind to others. You never know when you will be the only person who sees and smiles at a hurting person, and recognizes that they exist.
Goodbye Eddie. We will miss you.
Pat Patterson says
This is so heartbreaking. Depression is a very life threatening illness. Sometimes, the illness is like an incurable form of cancer and cannot be brought under control. The family will be forever changed by the loss of this young man. My condolences to each of them.