My 15 Minutes of Fame -The 90 Foot Fall

[AlabamaNomadRider]

The falls in the picture is Noccalula Falls in Gadsden, Alabama. It is a 90 foot high falls.

On May 7, 1961 when I was 14 my family and several relatives had gone to a decoration on that Sunday. After the decoration we went to the falls to have a family picnic. There were several of my uncles, aunts, cousins, my two sisters and my nephew at the picnic.

Well boys will be boys and a cousin of mine, my nephew and myself walked over to the falls. We were looking over and throwing rocks over. As we started to walk away I stepped back into a small moss covered stream. My feet slis out from under me. My first thought was that my mother was going to be upset because I got my clothes dirty. It didn't take long for me to realize I wasn't going to stop. I was about six feet from the edge and with it having a slope down to the edge I just kept sliding. Went over feet first but flipped forward 180 degrees and I could see the water getting closer as I went down.

I hit the water face and chest first and must have been knocked unconcious momentarily as I don't recall hitting the water. The next thing I remember is starting to try and swim back to the surface. With the force of the fall I continued downward in the water. I then felt my feet hit bottom and I pushed off and continued trying to swim upward. Before I reached the top I gave out and said Lord, well this is it. I quit trying to swim. Then all of a sudden I could see light through the water suface. I was again began to swim. Then I broke through and started swimming to the edge. I got out of the water and starte walking. I could barely see as my eyes were swollen nearly shut and was coughing up blood.

Before I had walked very far I was met by an uncle and others. They helped me to make the long walk back up to the top. It wasn't long before an ambulance arrived and took me to the nearest hospital. I spent one night in the hospital for observation.

As it turns out my nose was broken but I didn't find this out until almost 40 years later when I had a problem with a nose bleed. Other than my eyes being black, the broken nose and bruised ribs I was fine. Went back to school on Tuesday after missing one day of school.

My 15 minutes of fame has really turned into a life of fame. There are still people that talk about it today. Any time I see someone that I haven't seen in years will always bring it up. I even acquired to nicknames from the incident, one being Noccalula and the other being High Diver.

I wrote a newspaper guy this weekend and since it will be the 50th anniversary he is checking the archives and see what he can come up with. He does articles on things that happened in past in Gadsden. Since he writes about things that happened 100 years and more ago the thinks it will be an interesting article.

[flavor]

I've jumped feet first from a cliff that was about 45 to 50 feet. That is a longggg way and takes forever to hit the water.

90 feet is no comparison.

Maybe you should go for some cliff diving for more excitement.
WHOA!

Glad rocks didn't come into play.

[rickyboy]

Glad you made it out alive, for sure.
This story might answer a few underlying questions people might have about you.

[Sin City Stan]

Originally Posted by flavor

I've jumped feet first from a cliff that was about 45 to 50 feet. That is a longggg way and takes forever to hit the water.

90 feet is no comparison.

Maybe you should go for some cliff diving for more excitement.
WHOA!

Glad rocks didn't come into play.

Same here. When I was young and dumb I jumped off a 40-45' quarry cliff into water. That hurt and I never did it again. But 90', WOW! The good Lord must have had plans for you.

[Top Cat]

What Rick said, this answers some questions I've wondered about but never asked.

[cactusjack]

That's a pretty cool story, Gene. In Brazil recently, a woman jumped from the 23rd floor of a building and survived. She landed on top of a taxi parked on the street.

[ringadingh]

I'll bet everything went into slow motion for a couple seconds, it usually does when your having one of those oh sh*t moments.
That was your lucky day Gene.

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Yes, as it was happening it did seem to be in slow motion. But as for life passing before your eyes, that didn't happen to me.

It was a good thing it happened in May and there had been an abundance of rain. The pool at the bottome isn't all that big with a lot of rocks surrounding the edge. In drier times it might have had a different ending.

I knew some of you would now realize why I am the way I am. I knew I could get a response out of TC but, Ricky.

[Jared]

Wow, great story, Gene!

[Top Cat]

Gene, You know I hate to dissapoint.
Glad the outcome was not worse. What would I do without yyou to bust on here. ;)

[tombstone]

That's an amazing story! My question is, since it's the 50th anniversary are you going to do a reinactment?

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by tombstone

That's an amazing story! My question is, since it's the 50th anniversary are you going to do a reinactment?

Thanks, I almost choked with that comment.


Gene, I plan on passing by Gadsden on my way to NC. Maybe I'll stop and take a picture of the falls, just so I can say I've been there.

[Loafer]

Originally Posted by tombstone

That's an amazing story! My question is, since it's the 50th anniversary are you going to do a reinactment?

I wonder if Harrison Ford would want an autograph?

[Cajunrider]

This isn't funny but I have a friend who's ex tried to commit suicide by jumping off of a 110' high bridge spanning Bayou Boeuf. She hit the water, surfaced and a passing recreational fishing boat picked her up screaming and kicking. Cutting her wrists or taking a bottle of pills would have been easier and a whole lot less painful. She didn't break a bone and had zero internal injuries. She's still kicking today. Just wasn't her time to go.

[Loafer]

I hope she got the help she needed.