The teen who tragically took his life by jumping from the roof of an upscale Columbus Circle Hotel in Midtown New York City has been identified as an aspiring fashion designer from New Jersey. It was also revealed that he committed after he recently broke up with his girlfriend, police and his family said.
New Jersey teen Noah Legaspi made his way to the upscale Columbus Circle Hotel in a taxi after leaving the home of his ex-girlfriend. He Facetimed the girl before plunging to his death from a height of 750 feet and was pronounced dead at the scene, his older brother Luis Legaspi told the New York Post.
A Breaking and a Death
Noah, 17, jumped from the roof of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Thursday night, plummeting 750 feet in a fall that led to the decapitation of his body upon impact with the busy street below.
Noah reportedly went through a breakup with his girlfriend on the night of the incident. After leaving her house, he decided to take a taxi to the Mandarin Hotel at Columbus Circle.
Noah also struggled with mental health, his family and police told the New York Post.
"They broke it off and he just was never good at handling his emotions so post-breakup I guess he just wasn't able to control his thoughts and feelings," his older brother, Luis Legaspi, told the Post.
"She received an eerie Facetime call from him from the top of the hotel looking over and they had a Facetime call and he said 'look at this pretty view' and 'I love you,'' Luis Legaspi later added.
Noah had started dating the girl in the spring prior to his passing. The girl got "startled" and promptly contacted Noah's mother and informed her that the call had originated from a tall building. However, she had no knowledge of Noah's exact whereabouts, Luis Legaspi.
Following that, Noah's family began searching their local area in Avenel. However, they ultimately decided to report him as missing.
NYPD investigators visited the family's home on Monday night to confirm the heartbreaking news that Noah, who was about to become a senior at Colonia High School, had tragically jumped from Columbus Circle.
Before the authorities informed the family of the devastating outcome, a Facebook page was started in an attempt to locate Noah. This page was subsequently transformed into a memorial in his honor this week.
"We received word last night and are in the process of mourning," the family said in a Facebook post on Tuesday. "We, the Legaspi family, appreciate all the time and dedication that was put into finding Noah. The support was insurmountable and for that we are grateful."
Grisly Death
The area around the luxury hotel, which is located within the 55-story Deutsche Bank Center, was gruesome last Thursday.
Noah's after jumping from the top of the hotel was tragically severed in half after hitting the glass awning, as reported by sources. One of the arms was found across the street, with construction scaffolding nearby appearing to be stained with blood.
He is believed to have used a service elevator to reach the roof, sources had earlier said.
Noah battled mental health challenges despite being a talented tailor, volleyball player, and burgeoning bass guitarist, according to his father, Luis Legaspi. The brother claimed that he aspired to pursue a career in fashion design, possibly in New York City.
He "battled his own demons and insecurities," the brother claimed, even though he was a shining light in other people's lives.
"He always felt that he wasn't deserving of love and attention and it really sucks because I don't know where it came from," Luis Legaspi said. "I know from our family he's so loved."
When friends arrived to offer their support to the family after the tragedy, it became clear that all of them perceived Noah as a person who was genuinely extraordinary and incomparable, as stated by Luis Legaspi.
"He was really a one-of-a-kind person," Luis Legaspi said. "Whoever he was in contact with, he made their day."
Noah's ex-girlfriend first learned about his death from a tribute posted by a volleyball camp they had both attended, Luis Legaspi said. Upon contacting him and his older sister to verify the information, they visited her house.
"I don't want her to have the impression that we're upset and we're blaming her," he said. "Both me and my sister comforted her, told her it was nobody's fault. Don't feel guilty."
Since the young girl doesn't have any siblings, the surviving brother and sister assured her that she could reach out to them if she ever required someone to talk to.
