The Golden Gate Bridge

I have been thinking about blogging about this for a while now and decided that I will as it really inspired me and hope it inspires other people

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A couple of weeks ago I was at a talk on Suicidal Thoughts with Dr Steve Critchlow when he told us a story about Kevin Hines who suffers bipolar disorder, had begun to hear voices telling him he had to die and days before his attempt, he began to believe them.

Kevin went to The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco which sees a lot of people going there to jump off - a distance which takes four seconds to fall which not many survive from. But miraculously Kevin did survive.

Here is his story from abc news

"Six years ago, when Hines was in high school, he started hearing voices. His torment became so intense that he finally decided to kill himself. One day, as usual, he attended his first class, then took a bus to the bridge, crying all the way.

"I had heard that the Golden Gate Bridge was the easiest way to die. I heard that you hit the water and you're dead," Hines said. "And I remember picking the spot. This is the good spot. I'm not too close to the pillar. I won't hit the pillar. I'm not too close to the land. I won't hit the land. I'll hit the water and I'll die."

Hines stood on the bridge for 40 minutes. No one approached him to ask what was wrong. When a tourist came up and asked whether he could take her photo, Hines said that was the final straw -- clear proof that no one cared.

He took the picture, then jumped. Instantly, he realized he had made a mistake, and came up with a plan to save his life.

"It was simply this: God, save me, A. B, throw your head back. C, hit feet first," Hines said. "And I did all of that."

The impact was crushing, and Hines hurtled 40 feet underwater. Miraculously, he survived.

Hines said his decision to kill himself at the Golden Gate came down to simplicity.

"It's this simple," Hines said. "A 4-foot rail. A tall 12-year-old could fall off."

But how did he survive, the bit not told in this story, is that God did save him by using a Sea Lion. After he jumped, Kevin was able to reach the surface of the water and upon his resurfacing he bobbed up in down in the cold water. Something brushed his legs and he feared it was a shark but it wasn't, it was a Sea Lion who circled beneath him, bumping him up and keeping him above the water so he didn't drown when his body got too tired. The Sea Lion kept doing this until he was rescued by a boat.

How incredible is that story, this guy jumped from the bridge but then decided it was the wrong decision and one the way down asked God to save him, and God did just that by sending a Sea Lion. When we call out to God for help he hears us and helps us and brings people/animals to help us. You may think it’s weird for animals to help us humans, but animals can sense the pain in humans and are a help to many a person.

Kevin didn't want to die, he just wanted to end the pain. He is like many people who try to end their life, they aren't necessarily wanting to die, just want the pain to end. And we as their friends/family/fellow human beings need to intervene and help these people in their emotional pain. I know that throughout the past few years when there were times I felt I could not go on any longer with the pain, God brought people into my life to help me and bring me through and back to Him. Those who are suicidal need compassion and understanding, not judgement.

To read more about Kevin Hines click here and to read more about The Golden Gate Bridge and the suicide jumpers go here