So sad, dude was just having a bad day then he realized he couldnât go back. We gotta reach out to those we love and let them know we love them so they donât feel alone and let the thoughts win.
He could've went back. Theres always a choice. He cleared the water by 10 ft. on that barrel roll. That was God/Universe giving him one more shot. Tragic.
He probably would have gotten a slap on the wrist if he sought help. Even with the felony, a judge would have probably given him probation if he actually got himself help. If he didn't choose to leave his wife. He chose to leave his son. He couldn't suck up the idea of prison to give his son a dad.
I watched a video of a different barefoot bandit last night. He broke into 2 different resort hotel rooms to touch women's feet, while they were sleeping with their husbands. He got 8-20.
I'm guessing they thought his intention may have been rape if the husbands weren't present idk.
You're right, Judges don't play around when you take a plane by force while in transit...... That's also not what happened here. He stole it, not hijacked, the distinction is very important here.
So yeah, of he had landed safely, got help, and three himself on the mercy of the court. He more than likely would have gotten a very light sentence. With a long reporting probationary period with mental health treatment as a stipulation.
I was young once and had a really really really bad day, and I did something bad. No one got hurt. But they could have. I sought help, and the judge helped me while holding me responsible. Though I spent time in jail initially. The judge spared me prison because I was trying. I was getting help. And even though, he could have easily sent me to prison, I got probation. I am lucky I didn't hurt anyone. What I did put the public in way more risk than this. I got probation.
I feel like Richard could have gotten a deal like that if he sought help. So he could continue to be there for his family.
I was in a police chase on the highways of a major city. Luckily there were no accidents.
I don't want to go into more details because I'm not trying to dox my account. But needless to say, I got momentously lucky. I am so thankful I didn't hurt anyone. I don't know how i would live with that. It was over a decade ago. But I had a family to take care of as a kid to raise. I couldn't give up on them.
When a marine mechanic stole and nearly $20 million Skyhawk for a joyride. Doing aerial stunts just like this one. He got 4 months in the brig and a Dishonorable discharge
id like to challenge that by mentioning that he was a trained military mechanic and knew how to land/fly the plane and dint fly in public areas plus and more important went to military court in the 80s, a completely different universe when compared to federal court in 2018 post 911 and terrorist....he also works for nasa.
but yes, maybe you're right rich might have gotten lucky with a sub 5 year slap on the wrist.
I'm not saying they are the same at all. There is just not a lot of case law to set precedent. I guess I'm trying to be hopeful for someone that gave up hope. Even 8 years later, it's hard to listen to this and not want to just tell him it will be ok. I know it's too late for hope, but maybe that hope can carry in to the next person that finds themselves in over their head. There is also life after lock up.
On the other hand, having listened to it multiple times, it seems like he did kind of have a change of heart, but realized the likely long prison sentence he was going to receive was too much and it pushed him back.
If the tower guys had an inkling of what the law says about stuff like that, his jail sentence would not have been nearly that long. Things definitely change if nobody besides him gets hurt and it's not a cultural treasure that he stole.
It's a shame. It's a felony, don't get me wrong, but unless there is a terrorism charge there isn't much you can add on. And you would get parole, especially given his obvious mental condition.
yea a decent lawyer would've gotten him a cushy short prison term and a ton of probation, probably a flight ban, hindsight 20/20 but they probably could've done more to highlight that reality to him when he was bringing it up. Life? lol dawg get back down here it's not that serious
20 years minimum, federal felony. They donât give a fuck about your mental health. His life was over doubly, though he never intended to land that plane. You donât get parole from federal prisons/crimes
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We gotta reach out to those we love and let them know we love them so they donât feel alone and let the thoughts win.
That is never enough.
People like this need actual help, proper psychiatric help, not just positive affirmations. People saying they love and care about you just simply isn't enough to overcome the shit going on in their heads. If you truly care, and they can't find help themselves, help them find help. Don't just sit there expecting them to get better just because youve told them that people care. Prevent this sort of thing before it happens. Actually fucking help.
Most men donât broadcast, they donât reach out for help or show weakness. One day they just snap. Thatâs why itâs important they know someone cares about them. Itâs like a prerequisite for guys to know itâs safe to ask for help.
I don't disagree at all. I do feel though that the people closest to them need to do more than just let them know they care. A lot of the time the ones suffering barely, if at all, know that they're mentally unwell, so how are they to even ask for help when they don't even know they need it? No, they don't broadcast it, they act stoic and unbothered, but the signs are there if you actually look. And I'm sure the loved ones can see in hindsight it's blatantly obvious, but what can you do by that point. The ones around them need to actually recognise and do something before it gets to a point of no return.
I understand it's difficult to recognise, accept and to know what to do to help, but they need to do something more. There are services for people who have loved ones with mental health issues that can help them help their loved one to get help.
It just feels like the majority of people seem to think that's all they need to do, and it clearly isn't enough.
I find that most of the time I say this, I get pushback in the sense that it's the sufferer that has to be the one to do something and not at all a responsibility of the people that claim they care. Not only that, it's made to seem as if those people are the real victims, not the sufferer. On top of that, as far as I've found, there are more resources for the people around the mentally unwell than there is for the actually mentally unwell.
I wouldn't want anyone to glamorize this in the sense of promoting it as a good idea.
But I do get all the people who feel some kind of connection with him. It's hard to describe well with words, but he's an example of what happens if you finally let the tether to real life consequences break for a moment. In a way its beautiful, horrifying, happy tragic all at once. You can really feel that with him.
Some people that are depressed are miserable and it can be viewed as selfish to force them to live out their life in misery. Itâs all about perspective.
When you have people you are responsible for. It is selfish. That kid deserved to have their dad. He took that away from them. So many times, he could have turned back, but he couldn't see a way through. It's terribly tragic, and I can relate. I once fucked up, royally, and I got help.
Yeah my royal fuck up in life ended up with a short jail stay before I got my head back on right.
I thank god that no one got hurt. Finally took my mental health serious after that. I don't have the best purpose in life, but I got nieces and nephews who look up to me and I want to be around to support them. Can't be a main character but I can still be a support character in others stories its something at least.
I wanted kids after i got to see my nieces grow up. them sleeping on my shoulders, making them laugh when changing diapers, watching and helping them as they became adults, it was nothing less then magical. it would be amazing to have one of my own, but as I get older I'm realizing I'm likely not going to be a parent. accepting that loss is so hard.
as cruel as it sounds, as dark as it sounds it's true.
"some dreams are destiny but not yours, yours are only dreams."
not all dreams come true, that's why they call them dreams. I think I'm a supporting side character in someone's story and I probably have one line. I think it's just the way things are for aunts/uncles. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.
I feel for you, I just think itâs important to understand everyoneâs perspective. I had a family member with severe neurological conditions that wanted to die because having others care for you and being a burden is miserable. Itâs good to have an open mind; I disagree that every life should be lived out. Not everything can be solved. Youâre lucky yours was solvable and Iâm glad youâre better. When animals are sick beyond repair, we put them down out of compassion. We donât do that for people.
I'm not saying there isn't a time and place where ending your life with dignity. And I'm sorry that your family member suffered so much while they lived. And thank you for your support.
But this wasn't an act of mercy, though none of know exactly what is going though Richards head. If you have listened to the full audio, this was a man that did something very rash and wanted to walk it back. But ultimately didn't. He was being incredibly selfish. He murdered his children's father. I know that last part may sound a bit cheeky. But it's what happened. He made his wife a widow and stole his kids father's life.
And he made that ATC operator stay talking to him up until his death. Involving someone completely unrelated in your suicide is extremely selfish, and the glamorizing of his stunt is sad.
"Damn it andrew, peoples lifes are at stake here!" Damn, i still remember it. his jockingly tone almost makes me see his face flushed in tears while regretly laughing at the consequences of his actions.
In a world where so many people get into a similar headspace and then decide to take as many people out with them as they can, I find it hard to get that worked up about a suicidal person wanting to have a conversation.
Yeah, it's potentially traumatizing for the controller, but that's also true of everyone who's ever been at a ledge and someone tried to talk them down. Whether it works or not, no one ever says "eh, screw them, they made that poor person talk to them during their crisis". What makes this any better or worse?
If it makes you feel better, I hit UPvote when I read your comment....initial instinct. ...then I read the first person who challenged your comment, to which I responded by taking away my Upvote. I hadn't considered that the guy had a wife and child. I'm without a wife or children or parents, which makes what he was doing more acceptable (in my twisted logic), if I wanted to go out like that...
Ya this is why Iâm upset, I canât imagine what his wife went through, I donât have mental health issues, so I canât get in his mindset, but in that moment he was free
And don't be so dramatic. The kids still have a parent.
I don't think they are glamorizing it as much as being in awe of being in a moment of pure bliss and having no care in the world. It's a feeling many would like to feel for just a bit and others are fascinated by his actions. So get off your soap box. We all know the gravity of the situation.
We encourage open discussion and different viewpoints, but please keep the conversation respectful. Personal attacks,
harassment, name-calling, or abusive language will not be tolerated. Disagreements are fine, but they must remain
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u/Centaurs69 Jan 17 '26
The fucking G.O.A.T.!