On the morning of July 9, 1993, it began as an ordinary day for 38-year-old lawyer Garry Hoy, who worked at the Holden Day Wilson law firm in Toronto. As usual, Hoy arrived at work at the Toronto-Dominion Bank Tower and made his way to his office on the 24th floor. However, every hour Hoy spent in the office was bringing him closer to one of the strangest deaths.

Both a lawyer and a structural engineering enthusiast, Hoy had long admired the physical strength of modern architecture. He was particularly impressed by the durability of office windows and had developed an office "party trick" where he would throw his full weight against the glass to prove how strong it was.

Wikimedia CommonsThe former home of Holden Day Wilson law firm, where Garry Hoy lost his life, located in the Toronto-Dominion Centre.

That day, a group of potential intern lawyers passing through the office provided Garry Hoy with the perfect opportunity to showcase his trick. He had done it countless times before and had no concerns that it wouldn’t work. The glass had always held; he was sure it would again.

However, unfortunately, he should not have been so confident.

Who Was Garry Hoy?

Given the strange circumstances surrounding Garry Hoy's death and the subsequent Darwin Award he received, one might initially get the impression that he was drunk, foolish, or suicidal. However, Hoy was none of these things.

In fact, Hoy was a successful and respected corporate and securities lawyer at the Toronto-based Holden Day Wilson law firm. Not only was he a partner at the firm, but managing partner Peter Lauwers described him as "one of the best and brightest" lawyers in the company. The firm employed around 200 people and had offices in the Toronto-Dominion Bank Tower.

paul (dex) bica/FlickrGarry Hoy worked on the 24th floor of the Toronto-Dominion Bank Tower, where he would tragically lose his life.

Hoy was said to not only hold a law degree but also an engineering degree. Although he had turned to a career in law, he maintained his interest in engineering and had a fascination with the strength of modern buildings.

Unfortunately, this interest in engineering led to Garry Hoy's death in July 1993 on the 24th floor of the Toronto-Dominion Bank Tower. The lawyer's unexpected death was examined online (even verified by Snopes), but what happened was quite simply a tragic accident.

Tragic and Shocking 'Accidental Death'

There is a word for throwing someone out of a window: defenestration, a term famously used in the Defenestration of Prague in 1618. However, accidentally throwing oneself out of a window is a much more unusual occurrence, and that is exactly what happened to Garry Hoy on July 9, 1993.

On that unfortunate day, a reception was being held for law students interested in interning at Holden Day Wilson. Garry Hoy decided to showcase his favorite party trick while giving them a tour of the office: throwing himself against the windows of the Toronto-Dominion Bank Tower to demonstrate how durable the glass was.

Hoy had performed this stunt before. It was clear that he enjoyed not only showcasing the strength of the windows but also the performance itself.

However, that day, Hoy's demonstration went horribly wrong.

Toronto Star ArchivesAn article about Garry Hoy's "accidental death".

At first, everything was going according to plan. Hoy threw himself out the window in front of the law students, and the glass held, as it always had. But then Hoy threw himself against the window a second time. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room shifted from fun to horror.

Instead of flying out of the window as he had the first time, Hoy passed through the glass frame and fell directly inside. He plummeted 24 stories and died instantly.

Police arriving at the scene immediately understood that Garry Hoy's death was the result of a tragic accident. Indeed, the incident was recorded as an "accidental death."

"[Hoy] was demonstrating the tensile strength of the window glass, and it likely came out of its frame," said a Toronto police officer. "The frame and curtains were still there."

However, although Garry Hoy's death was an unexpected and horrific tragedy, it was a situation that could have been entirely prevented. Structural engineer Bob Greer, speaking to the Toronto Star, stated, "I don’t know of any building code in the world that would allow a 160-pound man to hit a piece of glass like that."

Garry Hoy's Legacy

Garry Hoy's bizarre death earned him a lasting notoriety. His online presence includes both a Wikipedia entry and numerous Reddit threads (“Oh Garry Hoy. One of the strangest Toronto stories that people still think is legendary,” says one).

His death was parodied in the 2006 film The Darwin Awards starring Joseph Fiennes and Winona Ryder, featured in the television show 1,000 Ways to Die, and explored in the second episode of the beloved Discovery Channel series Mythbusters.

Hoy's tragic death perhaps also determined the fate of the law firm: Holden Day Wilson. Within three years, the firm experienced a significant exodus: more than 30 lawyers left after the trauma of losing one of their own. In 1996, Holden Day Wilson officially closed due to unpaid bills and compensation issues. At that time, it was perhaps the most notorious law firm bankruptcy in Canadian history.

However, although Hoy's death is often a subject of ridicule due to its bizarre circumstances, it does not change the fact that a man lost his life. Even more sadly, his death could have been completely prevented.

"[Hoy] was an excellent lawyer and one of the most genuine people you could know," said Hugh Kelly, one of Hoy's colleagues, to the Toronto Star after his death. "We will miss him greatly."

Kelly was supported by Lauwers, who said, "His death devastated his family, colleagues, and friends. Garry was a bright light in the firm, a generous man who cared about others."