WILMINGTON, N.C. — A quiet Monday afternoon in downtown Wilmington turned heartbreaking on April 6 when 74‑year‑old Thomas Broffman fell from the Nutt Street parking deck near Cape Fear Community College and died at the scene. People who saw it unfold raced to his side, but emergency responders could only confirm his death after he was rushed to the ground below. Law enforcement has described the case as an apparent suicide.
Friends and neighbors describe Broffman as the kind of man who was part of their daily routines. He waved to passersby, said hello to students, and stopped to chat with anyone who had a minute to spare. For many in this coastal city, he was familiar in the way locals often are — a neighbor you see around town who never made a fuss but always made a place feel a little more personal.
On that afternoon, the sky was soft and the spring breeze mild when Broffman climbed the edge of the deck. Students from Cape Fear Community College saw him fall just before 2 p.m. They didn’t hesitate. Some shouted for help, others ran the short block to find emergency crews. Their urgency captured the shock and fear that rippled through a group of young people unused to such a sudden tragedy.
By the time paramedics arrived, the scene was somber. What began as a bustling college neighborhood was now a place of hushed voices and concerned glances. Witnesses who offered aid reported a calm dignity about Broffman as they tried to help him, but the severity of his injuries was too great. Officials later confirmed he died at the scene.
The New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office has said the incident is being investigated as a likely suicide. Detectives are reviewing what happened and speaking with those who were in the area at the time, trying to piece together the final moments of a man whom many locals had seen around town. The Sheriff’s Office urges anyone struggling with thoughts of self‑harm to seek help and connect with support services.
Local residents have left flowers and notes at makeshift memorials near the parking deck. Some speak quietly of the sadness they feel, of a community trying to make sense of a loss that hit without warning. Broffman’s absence has left a hole, neighbors say, in everyday conversations and familiar routines that give this city its rhythm.
Details about his funeral arrangements have not been released. For now, Wilmington pauses, shaken by the sudden loss of someone the community felt it knew.
