Video captures heroic NYPD rescue of suicidal woman from Brooklyn Bridge
BROOKLYN, New York (WABC) -- The NYPD has released a video showing a lieutenant and fellow officer helping save a 25-year-old woman from jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge on Wednesday.
Lt. Hak Kim and Officer Brendan Giardino were called to the bridge around 3:50 p.m., responding to reports of a woman walking across the beam from the Brooklyn Bridge toward the cables in an attempt to jump.
According to police, both rescuers began to talk with the woman, while Kim climbed the bridge to let her know she was not alone.
"My name is Lieutenant Kim, okay? I don't know what kind of trouble you're having, what kind of problem you're going through. We're gonna help you out. Save your life -- it's not worth it," he said, "Trust me, I got three kids...I don't know if you have a kid. We care about you, OK? Don't do this."
Kim said it was hard to see a person in distress and crisis. When he mentioned his family, she finally broke through. The woman gave her name, age, and number.
Giardino held his lieutenant steady as he started to scale the bridge from the roadway -- a 25-foot climb on a drenching wet day with no harness.
"It's a dangerous condition for the fact that there's vehicles traveling on the roadway and that there's also heavy rain that day to make the steel platform slippery," Giardino said.
Once Kim finally got the woman to engage in a conversation, he got close enough and grabbed her leg after almost a half an hour, talking her off the ledge.
"It's a good feeling. It's more so for her. We do care about the community. We wanna make sure everybody gets home safely," said Giardino.
The woman was taken to Woodhull Hospital for evaluation.
If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide or worried about a friend or loved one, help is available. Call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text TALK to 741-741 or visit 988lifeline.org/ for free confidential emotional support 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Even if it feels like it, you are not alone.
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