Rick's Cafe Negril Jamaica | Cliff jumping injuries at Rick's cafe Negril

Welcome to my site dedicated to

UPDATE: I have not put up all the injuries on this site between September and March. I will do so very soon. I continue with medications and various treatments. Recovery is long and painful 24/7. Thanks for all the emails of support and sharing your stories with me. Come back soon.

INJURY: March 26, 2008 - Ian suffered whiplash and warns to avoid the jump. Click here to read story.

INJURY: Sept. 13, 2007 - Gretchen M. DeLue suffered severe bruising from jumping at Rick's Cafe. Click here to read her story and see photos of her injuries.

TRAGEDY: July 22, 2007 - Melissa Thibeault: my heart is with you and the memory of your father who passed away. Please read Melissa's story about her nightmare in Jamaica the day before her wedding, her experience at Rick's Cafe, and her disbelief that Rick's Cafe could not even offer a back board to carry her father up the cliffs. They had to use a piece of wood from a fence. Click here to read Melissa's warnings.

WARNING EMAIL TO TOURISTS recieved July 20, 2007 - Hello my name is Ben I just came back from jamaica the last Sunday 2007-07-15, I went to the Rick's Cafe after drinkin a couple of drinks I took the decesion to jump the cliff Everybody over there encourage me to jump and they told me There is No problem everything is irie in jamaica. I had the chance to be ok after the jump,but I regret what I have been done. I do not recommand to anybody to play with is Life like I did I recommand to Rick's cafe to stop the tourist To jump that cliff,I feel concerned about it. Thanks

UPDATE: June 8, 2007
The right side of my back is always numb, I can barely feel it. This may be due to legament damage.

Due to the detachment of the gelly in my eye, not only do I see a black spot due to my injury at Rick's Cafe but I now see rims around shapes that disappear in slow motion and I'm starting to see flashing lights.

June 7, 2007
More injuries :
The list keeps growing. See "Other Injuries" section for and updated lists of more victims of Rick's Cafe

INJURY - MAY 31, 2007
Another Injury:
Lynne Smith from Illinois, US, broke her spine jumping at Rick's Cafe on April 2, 2007. CLICK HERE TO READ HER STORY

UPDATE: Thank you to everyone for your personal emails of support and emails to the companies responsible for the safety of future tourists at Rick's Cafe Negril.

WHAT DO I WISH TO ACHIEVE WITH THIS SITE?

RICK'S CAFE NEGRIL:

1) I would like them to train their lifeguards in proper CPR techniques

2) I want Rick's Cafe to purchase basic medical equipment such as a back board and neck brace.

3) I want Rick's Cafe to vocally warn innocent tourists about the risk of spinal cord injury, sternum breakage, paralysation, burst eardrums and vaginas, skeletal dislocations, severe bruising, eye jelly detachment, ligament damage, post-traumatic-stress, neurological damage, and death.

Perhaps Rick's cafe should consider their location to be an extreme sports location. Perhaps they should forbid tourists from jumping altogether and allow them to simply watch. Maybe all the risks should be put on paper and the tourists should sign a release form.

contributing to the safety of tourists planning to visit Rick's Cafe in Negril, Jamaica

My name is PATRICIA DESROSIERS and I live in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. In August 2006 I visited Rick's Cafe Negril, Jamaica after being sold THE NEGRIL SUNSET TOUR. To my surprise their were locals diving from trees and off the 33 foot cliff into the water. The 'lifeguards' from Rick's cafe Negril told tourists to jump in the water and give them a tip. At Ricks, there is no indication that tourists regularly suffer broken spines, sternums, bruises, and even death. I jumped not realizing that the impact of the water could crush my body. I broke my spine and sternum. I displaced my diaphragm and bruised my thigh. I thought I might drown had I not found the mental strength to surface from the water. No responsible person from Rick's Cafe Negril came to help except some "lifeguards" whom endangered my life more then anything. It seems clear that none of them had previously received the proper training from Rick's cafe. I'm grateful to be alive and to not be paralyzed from the waist down.

I recently was diagnosed with Posterior Vitreous Detachment. I now see a black spot in my left eye. The jelly in my eye is lose "due to a major impact". Further more, I have to start a new medication treatment to help the severe migraines I have suffered daily since my accident. The medication should calm the brain activity that is contributing to my post-traumatic-stress. And finally I have to start taking new sleeping pills simply because I can no longer fall asleep at night!

In 'Other Injuries' section you will find links to other victims including Lynne who broke her spine jumping at Rick's Cafe Negril Jamaica on April 2nd, 2007. I hope to soon have more information on the local Jamaican boy who died diving at Rick's Cafe Negril a few years ago.

Please, read my story about my day at the most dangerous bar in the world and certainly in Negril, Jamaica.

Support me and other future tourists from getting injured at Rick's Cafe Negril Jamaica

Send an email to Rick's Cafe, responsible for allowing unknowing tourists to jump their cliffs and possibly suffer life altering injuries:

Rick's Cafe Negril, Jamaica (info@rickscafejamaica.com)
Rick's Cafe Negril, Jamaica (rickscafejamaica@aol.com)

Post this link on your website:

<p class="style2"><strong><a href="http://www.rickscafenegril.com" class="style2">Rick's Cafe, Negril, Jamaica, INJURIES: This site is dedicated to supporting past and current victim's of Rick's Cafe's cliffs. Encourage the cafe to adopt safety measures and medical equippment. </a> </strong></p>

July 2007 - I have received a few emails now from people who have had a negative experience at Rick's Cafe, Negril, Jamaica.

I received an email from a woman who is going to Jamaica next year and on her own refuses to jump and to warn the other tourists of the dangers.

Another email came from a man who took the jump and although was not hurt, does not recommend that others jump.

Unfortunately I have received 3-4 emails from "Anonymous" who accuse me of probably drinking and jumping which is not the case, I did not drink. And of course the very 'wise' explanation that I'm simply crazy, careless, etc. What about the tourists who do drink? Does Rick's Cafe make sure that these tourists are not intoxicated before jumping???

One email dares to compare the Rick's Cafe jump to sky diving and bungee jumping. I would not sky dive or bungee jump, it's way too scary for me. In countries like Canada, we would have to sign a conscent form acknowledging the risks of bungee jumping or any other extreme sport. Maybe Rick's should put up a sign boasting to be an extreme sports location. I must really be stupid to have done an extreme sport without even knowing it. That cliff is not high enough to even look scary. Parents let their kids jump. But the reality is that the water below can crush your body. This is not a risk I ever ever associated to jumping in water. The point is that these injuries happen to many people. The point is obvious that people need to be told the risks. RICK'S CAFE SHOULD NOT ASSUME WE KNOW THAT WE MIGHT BREAK OUR SPINES. NEVER ASSUME THAT PEOPLE KNOW! TELL THEM, HAVE SOME HUMAN DECENCY AND LEARN FROM US THE VICTIMS.

The cliff at Rick's Cafe is an Illusion of simple fun. Despite a sign of "experieced divers/swimmers", I don't think this warns people in any way that can die, be paralyzed, not be handled with proper medical equippment, and not get any help from anyone not even the staff who go on with their jobs and the divers that keep diving. ONCE AGAIN, I FOR ONE DIDN'T EVEN SEE THIS SIGN, I DIDN'T DRINK, I DIDN'T DIVE I JUMPED, I DID LAND CORRECTLY VERTICALLY, AND I CAN SWIM. NO, I DID NOT KNOW THAT JUMPING AT RICK'S CAFE WOULD CRUSH MY BODY. APPARENTLY I'M STUPID FOR NOT KNOWING THIS, WELL I GUESS THEY ARE A LOT OF RICK'S CAFE VICTIM'S THAT ARE STUPID, INCLUDING THE PARENTS WHO LET THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN JUMP. MAYBE RICK'S CAFE SHOULD STOP TOURIST JUMPING ALL TOGETHER OR GET A SPINE BOARD TO CARRY THE VICTIMS BACK UP TO THE TOP. NOW THAT ISN'T SUCH A STUPID IDEA.