Kayaker rescues man who jumped off bridge in suicide attempt

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

LITTLE FERRY, N.J. (AP) — Authorities say a man who attempted suicide by jumping off a bridge into a river was rescued by a passing kayaker.

Police in Little Ferry, New Jersey, say a witness saw the man jump into the Hackensack River about 5 miles west of New York City around 8:20 a.m. Sunday.

When police arrived, they saw the kayaker — who had a dog as his passenger— throw the 55-year-old Garfield man a line, which he grabbed. The kayaker then pulled the man toward the riverbank, and the man eventually stood up and walked ashore, where emergency responders were waiting.

FULL SHORT breaking story at link.


Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/3f6f84c16fa2456fa6558036caa9e8d9/kayaker-rescues-man-who-jumped-bridge-suicide-attempt

[1monster]

1. He got lucky -- Usually you can't act on changing your mind on the way down...

[Larry Engels]

5. What makes this "lucky"?

The guy wanted to kill himself.

[heaven05]

6. he grabbed for that lifeline

so......I guess he changed his mind on the way down or when he hit the water.......hope he continues to find a reason to hang on.....to this life until time to really check out.

[Larry Engels]

10. Hahahaha! :)

He wanted to kill himself by jumping off a bridge, not by diving underwater and staying there until drowning.

You know nothing about these things.

[alphafemale]

11. You have been schooled by a low post know-it-all

It is very proud of itself.

[ohnoyoudidnt]

12. Haha

The know-it-all should do some research on what goes through the minds of most jumping survivors as they were falling.

[Human101948]

14. usually it is "Can I have a do over?"

Seriously, I have heard that people who survive say that they decide they want to live as they are hurtling through the air.

[heaven05]

17. you're right

I know nothing about suicidal minds except they've given up, I only know about murder and suicides of the perp. That's all.

[Oneironaut]

16. The fact that he's not dead is pretty lucky.

[shenmue]

2. ...

[red dog 1]

3. K&R...Thanks for posting, Omaha Steve

That guy had a guardian angel...the kayaker who saved him.

[davidpdx]

19. +1

[Wilms]

4. And the kayaker had a DOG on board!

Something tells me the pup is a rescue.

[JudyM]

18. Dog was his pilot, after all :) nt

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. I suspect it was not a long fall into the river.

They say jumping off a high bridge is like hitting cement at 70 mph. Pretty much shatters most of your bones.
This guy got out of the river and walked away.

[localroger]

9. Depends on how you hit the water

If you belly flop a fall from 40 feet or less can seriously injure you, but people have survived jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge by arrowing straight into the water feet first. This guy probably got lucky first in how he hit the water and second in having the kayaker there to toss him the line.

[Human101948]

15. Of course, going into the Hackensack River is tantamount to suicide...

That water is nasty.

[LiberalElite]

13. I wonder if he'll try again on a higher bridge nt

[Judi Lynn]

20. Maybe the fact someone really cared whether he lived or not moved him to take his help.

It just might have been an act which helped him over a time in which he really felt lost and invisible.

Very decent of the kayaker to make the effort when he could have easily pretended it was all out of his hands, of course.

Could be the puppy willed the man to live!

[center][/center]

[red dog 1]

21. Great photo!

Those dogs are HUGE!