On my visit to York Cemetery in Toronto I discovered the grave of corporate lawyer, partner and great legal mind, Garry Hoy who fell to his death on July 9, 1993 from the 24th floor of his office building trying to demonstrate the strength of his office windows.
The 38-year-old lawyer with the law firm Holden Day Wilson (no longer practicing), reported for work at the Toronto-Dominion Bank Tower building in downtown Toronto, and made his way to his offices on the 24th floor.
Hoy, a structural engineering buff, had attempted several times before to hurl himself into the glass to prove that the windows overlooking the city were secure and incredibly well engineered.
However, on the morning of July 9, in front of a group of prospective legal apprentices, Garry saw the perfect opportunity to demonstrate his “ party trick”. Hoy body-slammed the window in front of the law students, and the window held. But then Hoy threw himself at the window a second time. In a split second, the mood in the room turned from amusement to horror. Instead of bouncing off the window as he had the first time, Hoy went straight through the window as the glass popped out of its frame. He plunged 24 stories down and was killed instantly.
Days later, strucural engineer Bob Greer said “I don’t know of any building code in the world that would allow a 73 kg (160 lb) man to run up against a glass and withstand it.”
Garry Hoy died July 9, 1993. He was 38.
1954-1993
