Accidents are everywhere, and young people’s pressures are hard to describe. Without effective relief, they may develop depression, and once it becomes a chronic illness, they might seek extreme ways to find relief. Relatives should communicate more with the children at home; no matter what happens, they should talk it out and share with someone. It’s not good for a person to bottle things up.
On December 20th, it was reported that a male employee of the Guangdong Meteorological Bureau fell to his death. The man’s father claimed that his son had asked for leave multiple times due to illness but was refused. On the day of the incident, after the son went to the rooftop, his supervisor also followed him. The latter stated that he had tried to save him but couldn’t. The man’s fall was officially ruled a suicide; the family accepted compensation and a settlement but still harbors doubts about their child’s death.
Mr. Zhao said his son, Xiao Zhao, was the pride of the family. He graduated from university at the age of 21 and entered the Guangdong Meteorological Bureau through public recruitment in July 2017. After more than three years of diligent work, the family never expected that their child would fall to his death without warning. On Monday, November 23, 2020, Xiao Zhao left his dormitory at 7:51 am and fell from the 23rd floor around 9 am.
Mr. Zhao has been trying to understand what happened during that crucial hour. He mentioned that four days before the incident, his son called him and said he had told his supervisor about his depression and wanted to take time off for medical treatment. He also inquired if he could go to Guangzhou on November 20, 2020.
About ten minutes before the incident, Xiao Zhao sent a message in the family group chat that seemed like a cry for help, a string of numbers “190119.” At that time, Mr. Zhao and his wife did not know what it meant but felt that their son might be in urgent trouble. Later, they learned that “190” is a commonly used emergency number in firefighting, indicating he needed saving. Xiao Zhao worked in the security department and had undergone firefighting training, so the family deduced that he might have meant this.
At 8:57, Mr. Zhao went to find his son and encountered his supervisor. The supervisor said Xiao Zhao was in the office, but there was no one there. The supervisor suggested that he might have gone to the finance office and asked Mr. Zhao to wait while he looked for him. However, Xiao Zhao was not in the finance office; he had gone to the rooftop, and the supervisor followed him there shortly after.
Surveillance footage shows that Xiao Zhao was on the rooftop for half an hour, after which his supervisor went up, and then Xiao Zhao fell. According to the police report, the supervisor claimed he saw Xiao Zhao attempting to jump from the building and rushed over to grab his hand. After the incident, long scratches were found on the lightning rod on the rooftop, indicating that Xiao Zhao had likely clutched it before falling.
After the incident, Mr. Zhao and others reviewed the surveillance footage. At 8:31, Xiao Zhao encountered his supervisor and then took the elevator directly to the rooftop. By 9:04, the supervisor appeared at the stairway on the 21st floor. Mr. Zhao mentioned that he had already communicated the matter of his son’s medical leave with the supervisor and that the supervisor had agreed, but his direct supervisor refused to sign off on the leave.
Moreover, since the supervisor knew that his son had gone to the rooftop, why did he make Mr. Zhao wait in the office? Mr. Zhao was very confused, believing that this led to him missing the chance to save his son. Because he couldn’t bear the thought of his son’s body being autopsied, he did not request an autopsy. The forensic examination concluded that the cause of death was a fall from height.
Mr. Zhao said that his son had conflicts with his supervisor. When his son first started working in 2018, he said that the supervisor treated him well, but over time many conflicts arose, particularly concerning procurement issues. Xiao Zhao discovered that the procurement prices were significantly higher than those online and was hesitant to sign off on them, leading to various difficulties.
After the incident, Mr. Zhao signed a compensation agreement with the meteorological bureau. However, he stated that since his son is gone, he did not want to discuss compensation; money meant nothing to the family. He just wants to understand how his son died. More than a year has passed without any results. Mr. Zhao believes that even if a case is not filed, there should be an explanation.
Having a child later in life and facing such a tragedy is even more heartbreaking. Mr. Zhao was 41 when he had his son, who had not even found a girlfriend yet. Mr. Zhao said his son was smart from a young age, starting school at just five and a half years old, eventually attending the best meteorological university in Nanjing. After experiencing the pain of losing a child, Mr. Zhao can only silently endure with his wife.
Today, Xiao Zhao’s supervisor is still in his position, but Mr. Zhao believes his son’s death is related to this supervisor, who should be held accountable. He simplistic and overbearing work attitude is an important factor contributing to Xiao Zhao’s depression, yet Xiao Zhao’s company claims that his death was a suicide and has nothing to do with the supervisor.
Not all jobs are satisfactory. Even if the benefits are good, one must have life to enjoy them. If the work is not enjoyable, it’s better to leave and change the environment. Rather than developing depression and falling to one’s death, it’s better to leave this environment and change companies. What are your thoughts on Xiao Zhao’s fall? Share your views in the comments below!
