Death of Garry Hoy

Garry Hoy (January 28, 1954 – July 9, 1993) was a Canadian lawyer who died when he fell from the 24th floor of his office building at the Toronto-Dominion Centre in Toronto, Ontario. In an attempt to prove to a group of prospective articling students that the building's glass windows were unbreakable, he threw himself against the glass, which did not break, but the window frame gave way and Hoy fell to his death.^[1][2]

Garry Hoy
Hoy in 1979
Born	(1954-01-28)January 28, 1954
Died	July 9, 1993(1993-07-09) (aged 39) In front of the Toronto-Dominion Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Cause of death	Fell to his death from the 24th floor of the Toronto-Dominion Centre
Nationality	Canadian
Occupation	Lawyer
Employer	Holden Day Wilson

Background

Three of the Toronto-Dominion Centre's towers: (left to right) the Ernst & Young Tower, TD Bank Tower, and TD North Tower. Hoy fell from the TD Bank Tower (known at the time^[3] as the Toronto Dominion Bank Tower).

Hoy was a popular partner^[4][5] and corporate and securities law specialist for the law firm of Holden Day Wilson in Toronto. While giving a tour of the Toronto-Dominion Centre to a group of dozens of articling students, he attempted to demonstrate the strength of the structure's window glass by slamming himself into a window. He had performed this stunt many times in the past, bouncing harmlessly off the glass. After one attempt with the same result, Hoy tried again, but the window separated from its frame, causing the intact window and Hoy to fall from the 24th floor, killing Hoy.^[5][6]

Structural engineer Bob Greer said "I don't know of any building code in the world that would allow a 160-pound [73 kg] man to run up against a glass and withstand it."^[7]

The shock of losing one of its most successful and popular lawyers was a contributing factor in the decline and closing of Holden Day Wilson in 1996, which at the time was the largest law firm closure in Canada.^[5][8]

In popular culture

Hoy's experience was featured in numerous television shows, including MythBusters and 1000 Ways to Die (in the episode "Unforced Errors").^[7]

Hoy's death was also adapted as a fictionalized plot point in the fifth series of Canadian dramedy series Workin' Moms and the second series of Canadian comedy series Billable Hours. In the opening of the second season, episode 1, "Birthday Suits", a lawyer attempts to demonstrate the strength of the office building windows by throwing himself against one of them, but the window shatters and he falls to his death.^[9]

See also

• Autodefenestration
• List of unusual deaths in the 20th century