Jon Medwick, a 62-year-old cartoonist and WebMD employee, tragically died after falling from his 15th-floor apartment in Chelsea, New York, despite his girlfriend’s frantic efforts to save him, police and witnesses reported. The incident occurred at 300 West 23rd St., where Medwick had resided for over a decade and served on the co-op board.
According to police sources, Medwick’s 45-year-old girlfriend woke up to find him standing by the window. Despite her desperate attempts to restrain him, he slipped from her grasp. The police were alerted to the incident at the historic building around 5:45 a.m. following a 911 call.
Residents of the building were alerted to the tragedy when they saw the coroner, an ambulance, and a body bag arrive. “His apartment is at the back of the building. From what they were saying he jumped from his apartment window,” a resident shared.
Medwick, who had been a resident of the building for over a decade, was known among his neighbors as a sociable and pleasant individual. The building, where one-bedroom apartments range from $540,000 to $1.45 million, had been Medwick’s home for years. His Instagram account showcased beautiful sunset photos of Manhattan, presumably taken from his high-rise apartment.
Medwick’s girlfriend, who had been living with him since just before the COVID-19 pandemic, was visibly distressed following the incident. “I did see the girlfriend. She looked distraught. She kept saying her legs were hurting … I don’t know if she was nervous. EMS took her,” a source said. Medwick’s brother was also present at the building, speaking with detectives.
Medwick primarily worked from home, occasionally welcoming clients to his apartment to collect commissioned artwork. “Thank God it wasn’t in the front. I didn’t want to see him like that,” a resident said, expressing relief that the incident did not occur in a more public area of the building.
Police have stated that they do not believe the fall was suspicious. Prior to the incident, Medwick had been taken to the hospital and returned home. According to police, he had been struggling with depression.