Jones: like I’ve heard so many things in
the paper that I haven’t said to anybody
Interviewer #1:
yeah
Jones: so I don’t know what that means or
what it doesn’t mean
Interviewer #1:
yeah
Jones: but
Jones: um hm
Interviewer
#1: okay and basically I wanna give you an opportunity
to give your explanation as to what happened and ah but with
that being said it it’s up to you
Jones: I I you’ve been great people the
the only thing is the only thing I wanna give you is a statement
and um if you would like to write it down record on that video
tape pur on your recorder whatever you wanna do I’d like to give
that statement and I’d like to tell you like it is
Interviewer #1:
go right ahead
Jones: so you don’t even have to do the
shorthand like Interviewer #2 does then
Interviewer #2:
yeah
Jones: okay the shorthand is this
Interviewer #1:
okay
Jones: it was my desire my desire only to
go to that to go to those falls that day not even the person I
was with knew that I was going to try to end my life that day
that I purposely thought and there would there and that there
would be no doubt that when I went over those falls I would not
be coming back history shows for itself that’s the case why I
chose that over other means I could question myself now I
thought that would be the most peaceful way to go I almost drown
once when I was a child and I thought my circumstances the way
they were and the lack of hope that I had that that would be my
day that I would go and ah for whatever reason I didn’t and I’m
grateful now I’m grateful to all those around me in this room
and many more that I’m around but that’s all I can say and I and
I apologize for for any inconvenience and and danger I put those
other parties into and I do not recommend or condone this sort
of action for anyone and I would hope that they would get the
help that I’m soon going to be getting to to stop this terrible
thing called depression that’s (indiscernible) all I’ve got to
say
Interviewer
#1: okay Kirk um have you had depression for a long
time
Jones: I’ve had some for the last six
months
Interviewer #1: for
the last six months
Jones: very strong depression
Interviewer #1:
have you ah sought any medical attention for that ah depression
Jones: no I’ve not
Interviewer #1:
have you told anybody else about that depression
Jones: to be honest no I haven’t
Interviewer #1:
is is it (indiscernible)
Jones: obviously people knew I was
depressed my parents I think knew I was depressed I would I
don’t know you’d have to ask them I don’t know but I I I knew
that I did not want to have my life going living the way it was
and I decided that ah it was I had in my mind feel there was no
hope that I can tell you all this anything else you’ve heard
(pause) is not from me
Interviewer #1:
Kirk
Jones: that’s all I can yell ya
Interviewer
#1: Kirk why did you select Niagara Falls can you
enlighten me
Jones: well why did I select Niagara Falls
that that that’s a great question I thought that that would be
the the easiest most peaceful way for me to go out that’s all I
can tell you I’m not scared of water so much as ah as of water
like I say I I’ve almost drown once when I was a child I’m not
one to ah I don’t own weapons I can’t kill myself that way I
don’t want to drive a car into a into a house or set myself on
fire or any of these other maniac ways I I just in my mind and I
can’t tell you exactly why that is the way I chose why I chose
Interviewer #1:
how do you get along with ah your brother
Jones: me and my brother have fought for
years
Interviewer #1:
and and
Jones: almost to the point of killing each
other many times really
Interviewer #1:
why
Jones: I don’t know I don’t know it’s just
one of those things um there were times when I’ve hated the man
so much ah ah my parents would verify this that ah we’ve gotten
the guns ah I don’t have guns we’ve gotten the knives out we’ve
gotten the clubs out we bashed the house up the police had to
come I guess it’s nothing unusual I guess if you read the bible
Cain and Abel didn’t get along too well either these things do
happen I’m trying ah I’m a forty year old man now it’s it’s it’s
sad to see the that that kind of fighting going on um perhaps
that’s one of the things that led me to my decision to go over
the falls is when my parents left I felt somewhat abandoned and
I would have to stay there with him and it would the house would
then of course be his house and um those words came out of his
mouth a few times well this is gonna be my house now you son of
a bitch this is gonna be it and ah all these things added
together um could make me decide to do this decision I did
Interviewer #1:
well the house is actually owned by your dad still right
Jones: right but it is gonna be changed
over from what I understand
Interviewer #1:
why would it be changed over to him
Jones: because the par my parents are are
are staying in [State withheld]
Interviewer #1:
right but why him as opposed to you
Jones: well my brother has has a
legitimate job coming in my job my brother does work at Ford
Motor Company
Interviewer #1:
okay
Jones: ah um our our business is is over
Interviewer #1:
okay
Jones: whatever me I had no visible means
of income other than try and look for another job
Interviewer #1:
okay
Jones: that that that’s where that stands
Interviewer #1: how
long have you been un unemployed ah I suppose that’s the
question I have
Jones: overall about twelve twelve to
twenty weeks twelve to twenty weeks I I had still lived under my
parents
Interviewer #1:
were were
Jones: care
Interviewer #1:
were there any prospects of ah gaining full em employment
Jones: no not at that time
Interviewer #1:
in the near future
Jones: not no not at that time no
Interviewer #1:
okay
Jones: um I obviously think I could work
on something now perhaps
Interviewer #1:
okay (indiscernible)
Jones: once I get over this depression
is what I wanna do the doctor wants me to immediately seek my
personal doctor and ah and try medication and and therapy groups
Interviewer #1:
and your personal doctor is
Jones: Doctor [name withheld] in in ah
[name withheld] Michigan
Interviewer #1:
okay
Interviewer #1: do
you do you have any major medical ill illness now besides the
depression
Jones: no I don not
Interviewer
#1: well let’s take the day when you when you went
into the falls
Jones: okay
Interviewer #1:
okay were you on any medications then
Jones: no
Interviewer #1:
were you taking any illicit narcotics or
Jones: no
Interviewer #1:
or drunk
Jones: I did take two drinks that morning
as liquid courage
Interviewer #1:
and what were they
Jones: vodka and orange pop if you can
believe that
Interviewer #1:
and the amount
Jones: amount
Interviewer #1:
yeah how much would you have taken
Jones: about a half pint if it all
(indiscernible) in a short of period of time I’m I’m guessing
here I had a half pint and ah I made two drinks and I drank it
so I’m thinking perhaps less but that’s all
Interviewer #1:
okay I got a question for you
Jones: yeah
Interviewer #1:
where did you guys park for free
Jones: (laughing) where did we park for
free
Interviewer #1: I
have to ask that
Jones: well it’s you could always park for
free in Niagara
Interviewer #1:
no no no you said that you said that on the tape
Interviewer #2:
yeah you said I know a place we can park for free
Jones: (laughing)
Interviewer #1: so
tell me where you were parking so that I can park down there for
free from now on
Jones: well I think early in the morning
um if you go down past the old power house what do you I don’t
call it the old not the old power house but there’s another
building that’s across the way that there’s the old power house
on the right if you’re going down the
Interviewer #1:
(indiscernible)
Jones: well you know the old power house
right there’s that older big build it looks like somebody’s old
mansion they got all chained up what is that
Interviewer #2:
Toronto power house
Jones: the old Toronto power house
Interviewer #2:
yeah
Jones: I have to see what it looks like
again it’s pretty neat um anyway past that on the right hand
side is the
Interviewer #1:
Dufferin Islands
Jones: there’s that little hut there where
you can park just a little bit past there on the right hand side
there’s the hut
Interviewer #2:
(indiscernible) house
Jones: huh the greenhouse probably
Interviewer #2:
(indiscernible) right
Jones: and and certain times of the day
there nobody’s there yet
Interviewer #1:
and you parked did you park there that day
Jones: I think so yeah I think so I that’s
where I can remember parking
Interviewer #1:
okay okay
Jones: again but see after a certain hour
they must show up and then its business as usual I think
Interviewer #1:
right
Jones: I seen other people doing it so I
thought it was okay and
Interviewer
#1: here here’s a question I have for you Kirk ah it
deals with the fact that you’re talking about depression and you
you you basically are saying to us that because of depression ah
you wanted to end your life and you you ended up going into the
falls and ah but on the other hand okay I’m hearing from Bob
Kruger I’m hearing from your dad and I’m hearing from [your
brother] when I talked to him that basically ah and and that um
you are were talking to them about being able to come down here
perform this stunt succeed and to gain notoriety and hopefully
gainful employment from from (indiscernible)
Jones: well I’ve heard this too
I’ve heard this too
Interviewer #1:
this is what they said
Jones: this is what I read in the paper
today
Interviewer #1:
no this
Jones: see I have read this in the paper
too
Interviewer #1:
just so just so you know that I’ve spoken to your dad and your
mom
Jones: um hm
Interviewer #1:
I’ve spoken to Keith I I haven’t spoken to Bob but we certainly
heard about Bob and Bob was spoken to that day
Jones: um hm
Interviewer #1: and
they all are towing the same line that you were in fact talking
about it planning it beforehand so how do you help help me out
how do I equate what they’re telling me
Jones: well
Interviewer #1:
to what you’re saying now
Jones: well then I then I equate this how
would a normal man feel that he could make it above all others
when everyone else has died already going over that stupid thing
I I knew in my mind there was no damn well I could make it there
was no way in my mind I knew that um did I did I think this was
my ticket ride to stardom and success no I did not think that
and that isn’t true that’s all I can tell you
Interviewer #1:
okay no I I I’m just telling you what they told me
Jones: I understand
Interviewer #1:
okay Kirk I mean I
Jones: I understand
Interviewer #1: and
I just wanted to try to ah get you to try to ah perhaps
(indiscernible)
Jones: don’t get me wrong I I’m gland I’m
here
Interviewer #1:
yeah
Jones: but ah it wasn’t supposed to be
that way
Interviewer #1: so
the way it worked in your mind is that you ah ah basically in an
attempt to commit suicide and failed
Jones: yeah that’s it in a nutshell I
guess
Interviewer #1: but
in but in in on the other flip of the coin is that ah in doing
so you continued to live and you’ve become the notoriety of of
being the first person in recorded history as far as I know of
going over the falls without any floatation devices or safety
devices and surviving
Jones: that I can’t explain to you
Interviewer #1:
(indiscernible)
Jones: (indiscernible) explain how the
sun rises
Interviewer #1: I
don’t I don’t think you can explain that to anybody and I don’t
think that anybody can understand that ah because I can tell you
from our experiences that no one has ever survived in in modern
recorded history everyone who has committed or attempted suicide
in in going over the falls has accomplished that task I can tell
you that and I can tell you that since nineteen hundred um on an
average at least eight to twelve people do it each year and they
succeed so you’re you’re you are ah you played the odds and you
won ah but those are the things I I wanted to ask you Kirk was
with respect to what your mom what your dad and what your
brother and what Bob was saying now at some point you’re saying
you you you when did you actually cross in to Canada I suppose
that’s a question I gotta ask ya
Jones: I’m sorry I don’t understand
Interviewer
#1: when when did you come to Canada when did you
come
Jones: oh when we come we came um see
Satur that would be Saturday in the afternoon we left Michigan
Interviewer #1:
now I take it
Jones: and I did not arrive until um it
was raining it was dark it was raining that Saturday night and
it time it got into Canada it was raining miserable and cold and
it had to be around nine o’clock at night when we came here
Interviewer #1:
okay
Jones: okay we immediately came in I
immediately looked for Lundy’s Lane because I I’ve been here
before and I realized that’s gonna be my cheapest hotels in the
place generally right you guys know the area
Interviewer #1:
and you’re in Bob’s car right Bob’s car
Jones: Bob’s car I stopped at two or three
places they were too much for me I stopped at the [motel] and ah
she said something like fifty a night and I said well I can’t do
that I said I can you give me something a special ah she goes ah
okay I’ll give you thirty a night and I go okay that’s for two
beds and she goes no that’s one bed so well can you give me two
beds for forty she goes ah (indiscernible) I said tell you what
you give me two beds for thirty-five and I’ve got the five
dollars extra for the tax so forty bucks out the door Canadian
right and she said fine and there’s where I stayed it’s probably
still the best deal in Canada right for forty bucks a night for
a room
Interviewer #1: so
when do you buy the camera and where do you buy the camera
Jones: I had a camera I bought about ah
three weeks ago in ah in (pause) two and a half to three weeks
ago I bought it used out of a paper called the Trading Times
it’s a used paper for articles you probably got something like
that around here it’s for used merchandise and um I bought it
for just ah to have ah actually (indiscernible) as a memory of
of ah of my Niagara trip and and as well as a few other things I
was gonna buy it for seeing my parents before they left
Interviewer #1:
yeah
Jones: but the problem is it never
worked
Interviewer #1:
right
Jones: the problem is it never worked I
had three battery packs not one of them would ever charge I
couldn’t even get the tape out and um just before my trip to
Niagara I put the last battery pack on and it maintained a
little bit of a charge
Interviewer #1:
um hm
Jones: and I put it on and I would record
it and within thirty seconds it was dead again
Interviewer #1:
okay
Jones: so this is useless so I said well
maybe I’ll try to play with it on our trip for Niagara that’s
when I threw it in the car
Interviewer #1:
right
Jones: and I tried to do it once I made a
little tape and and it died within minute
Interviewer #1:
right
Jones: I put it on again and then the next
time it seemed to last like for two minutes
Interviewer #1:
right
Jones: try it again it last for three
minutes and that’s where about where I left with it I I played a
little game with it in the [motel] if you you
Interviewer #2:
(indiscernible)
Jones: you’ve probably seen me playing
around in the [motel] going to the car
Interviewer #1:
yeah
Jones: playing a little game with it
Interviewer
#1: actually you should have let Bob do that see you
you were you were actually using it and not giving Bob enough
time to do it other than that he would have been able to record
what you were doing now there therein lies the next question
Jones: um hm
Interviewer #1: you
knew you were going to the falls you give Bob specific
instructions on how to record you um (indiscernible) going when
you go in the you’re telling him (indiscernible)
Jones: no no
Interviewer #1: and
you’re telling them how to focus it it’s right on the tape
Jones: I I
Interviewer #1:
where you’re sorta giving him instructions
Jones: I was giving him instructions how
to ah how to video tape ah video tape in general on
Interviewer
#1: well what help me out here maybe I’m missing
something here Kirk but if you’re planning to commit suicide
what’s the purpose of the video tape and directing basically a
show
Jones: well that that
Interviewer #1:
basically
Jones: that wasn’t my idea at all to to to
to give a show of my death to anyone (indiscernible) and there
alone that’s probably why Bob didn’t video tape it he knew how
to operate it I showed him earlier we we played little games ah
it’s very simple to operate that thing once it’s recording
Interviewer #1: no
but from what I we we’ve listened to the tape and if you listen
to the voice over it’s like you’re giving him instructions
Interviewer #2:
yeah
Interviewer #1: and
and basically you’re playing up a show I gotta tell you that I
I’m not I’m not lying to ya I’m I’m listening to this thing and
Interviewer #2 has and you’re you’re you’re being the narrator
it’s almost like a show um and you’re telling him where to stand
you’re telling him how to pan you’re telling him where you’re
gonna be how to how to fol follow you in the water
Jones: (indiscernible)
Interviewer #1:
how to focus um that’s almost like a show to me
Interviewer #2:
it’s there Kirk (indiscernible)
Jones: (indiscernible)
Interviewer #2:
it’s it’s on the tape
Jones: yeah
Interviewer #2: I
mean we’ll let ya see it
Jones: yeah you can you can um but it was
not my idea to ah ah record my own death that I could tell you
now whether obviously ah you guys it’s up to you whether you
wanna push this into court and all that stuff and to prove
whether did Kirky wanna kill himself did Kirky not wanna kill
himself
Interviewer #1:
no just
Jones: I mean it’s it’s it’s
Interviewer
#1: just so you know let me let me let me lay this
right on you right now
Jones: I guess it would be like this
Interviewer #1:
it doesn’t matter whether you what your purpose was
Jones: if if I was dead we wouldn’t be
here today
Interviewer #1:
yes
Jones: now that I’m alive it’s a stunt
so I don’t know
Interviewer #1: but
it no I I’m just saying from what we we we listened to okay
Interviewer
#2: well basically you’re right is that either way
you’re not allowed to go over the falls
Jones: well that’s you are totally right
Interviewer #2:
and that basically that’s it you know
Jones: you’re totally right you’re
totally right
Interviewer #1: and
you had to know I suppose in your mind that if you did survive
that you’d have to be at some point rescued it’s not like you
were ah you got wings and you can fly so you had to know that
you’re gonna inconvenience people you’re gonna in
Jones: yeah hey you’re right there is a
wrong here and I I am not trying to to to suppress it or deny it
I’m shocked that I’m here to tell you it but ah of that I’m
sorry
Interviewer #1: I
don’t have any more questions Interviewer #2 do you have any
Interviewer #2: no
that was ah the video taping was the big one I I was curious
Jones: I’m sorry for for all the for all
I’ve caused you people I would gladly go on TV to tell people
never to try such a horrible stunt I would gladly whatever I can
do to help the Park Commission to end this sort of thing
tomorrow (indiscernible) grateful to me
Interviewer #1: I
hope you do that I do um so is there anything else that you want
to say
Jones: I’m all set sir
