This is further proof that not all is lost. That when given a chance for compassion, many of our youth..our future..will know what to do when the time comes.
This happened in New York City on Saturday. At a subway station at Lafayette and Broadway.
A despondent young woman climbed over a railing and crawled over open girders that were 25 feet above the ground and over 5 feet apart. And began sobbing.
According to a witness, Michal Klein, “The only thing I overheard was the young girl saying nobody cares about her.”
Then a young man on the first level saw her, and ran up to the second floor. He climbed and crawled over the beams to where she was sitting. He began talking to her quietly. Then he put his arm around her. After a minute, she put her head on his shoulder.
They were up there for almost ten minutes before the fire department arrived. They both crawled back over the ledge...holding hands the entire time. He borrowed a pen from an officer and wrote his information down for her and she put it in her pocket.
She was then taken away by ambulance to the hospital.
And this young man picked up his backpack, got on a subway, and left.
Said Klein, who took the picture, “It was just like a random person who went over to keep her calm. He actually cared enough, whoever he was, to help her. A lot of people seemed to be like, ‘Oh, it’s New York,’ and kept walking. I don’t know what I would’ve done. I don’t think I would’ve climbed over to do that.”
Another witness noted that most people didn’t even break stride as they quickly glanced up.
Said another, “Angels come in many forms.”
The NYPD has stated that when you encounter a suicidal person, even if they are gentle, you should call for help, ’instead of taking matters into your own hands.’
I respectfully disagree. By any and all means, call for help. But when many feel alone and isolated, the kindness of someone that WANTS to be there can make all the difference in their world. And if you have that feeling of compassion come over you and you feel it in your bones, then you should act on those feelings.
In NYC, more people die per year in the city from suicide than from both murder and car accidents.
Thanks to this young man...not last Saturday.
