[CW: The following article describes an attempted suicide.]
Two weeks ago Jesse Harrison, an amateur MMA fighter, was stuck in traffic on Auckland’s Harbour Bridge. The 23-year-old was on his way home after working all day and had just finished an evening training session.
It was 7:30PM, and traffic on the bridge was busier than usual. Harrison assumed the normal rush hour traffic had been further slowed by some sort of accident. As his car crawled slowly towards the centre of the bridge he realized what was happening.
A car had been stranded on the road, blocking most of the left-lane of the highway. And a man was climbing over the rail that was meant to protect people from the 142-foot drop to the Pacific Ocean below.
Harrison told The New Zealand Herald that despite never being confronted with anything like this before, he decided to get out of his car and try to save the man he saw on the bridge.
“Basically I pulled over straight away, hazards on, and hit the gas on foot,” said Harrison. “I’m in jandals (Japanese style sandals) so I’m trying to get there as fast as I can as he makes his way over the edge.”
As Harrison rushed the man who had climbed over the railing, the two began talking. Harrison urged the man to think about his loved ones. In reply, the man said that he had no family.
Harrison then assured the man that there was always something to live for.
During this conversation other drivers had been making their way to the scene. When two other men joined Harrison the group grabbed the man on the other side of the railing.
Harrison and the two other individuals held the man against the railing while other drivers called the police. “I’m grateful those guys were there too because I wouldn’t be able to pull him back myself,” said Harrison.
After around ten minutes of holding the man in place, the trio decided to hoist him back onto the safe side of the railing. Once that was done, they held him tight until police could arrive.
Harrison told The Herald that he wanted to share his story to raise awareness of suicide, especially with New Zealand having such a high suicide rate. New Zealand recorded 11.6 suicides per 100,000 people in 2016, the global average that year was 10.6 suicides per 100,000 people according to the World Health Organization.
“If there’s anything to believe in it’s that there’s always someone to help, no matter what circumstance you’re in,” said Harrison.
You can see more of Harrison talking about this incident in his video interview, which is available on The Herald’s website.
Free and confidential support for individuals who are in crisis and are thinking about taking their own lives, or have loved ones who are in crisis, can be found with the following organizations.
- New Zealand: Lifeline: Call 0800 543 354 or Text ‘Help’ to 4357.
- Australia: Lifeline: Call 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14.
- USA: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
- Canada: Crisis Services Canada: Call 1 833 456 4566 or text 45645.
- UK and Ireland: Samaritans: Call 116 123 (UK) or 116 123 (ROI) or email [email protected]/[email protected]
- Rest of the world