A 26-year old aspiring model, who plunged to her death from a ritzy rooftop bar in Times Square this week, couldn’t seem to cope after the death of her father two years ago.
Authorities are still investigating the exact reason why Elizabeth Gaglewski fell to her death Wednesday from Bar 54 at the Hyatt Centric Times Square.
However, friends of hers said she was still devastated over the passing of her dad during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“She was a beautiful girl with a beautiful heart,” said a man at Gaglewski’s home in Queens on Friday, who declined to give his name. “She lost her father two years ago and never knew how to cope.”
Gaglewski’s heartbroken mother, Hope Smith, 65, said, ” I don’t know what her friends are talking about. My daughter didn’t struggle with mental illness.”
“I think it was an accident,” said Smith. “She wasn’t struggling with anything. When she left me to go out to meet friends, she was perfectly happy and contented and she looked beautiful. She took good care of herself. My daughter was a purist, meaning that she kept minimum friends, she was very private, she put no substance in her body… no junk food. She exercised, she danced. She was very spiritual.”
Her daughter had gone out to meet friends and seemed to be in high-spirits before leaving. Smith said she was struggling to deal with all the grief and emotionally broke down on Friday as she left her home to receive dialysis. She would have to make a visit to the morgue afterwards to see her daughter and was having a hard time facing what was to come.
“Life has no meaning for me no more,” Smith said while not feeling well. “She was my everything. She is everything, is everything to me. I can’t do nothing, nothing. She is my only child.”
“I mean, it’s purposeless. I am just doing what they told me to do, my sisters,” Smith said. “I don’t feel nothing. I am tired, I am tired. I didn’t sleep. I don’t feel good.”
Questions still linger about the moments before she plunged from the 54th floor and landed on a 27th-floor balcony.
Witnesses told police the woman was seen jumping from the ledge and workers apparently tried to save her but couldn’t reach her before it was too late. Police were reviewing surveillance footage.
A GoFundMe created for Gaglewski says she was an aspiring model and was adored by all that crossed her path.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988, text HOME to 741741 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
