Sometimes being in the right place at the right time can make all the difference. A team of middle school volleyball players from Fresno, California, learned the power of that after an incredible incident. The boys from the Kepler Neighborhood School were meeting up for a Saturday team practice. Their practice began with a routine warm-up run. The sixth, seventh, and eighth grade boys could have never guessed what they'd encounter on that run.
While the boys were running, they noticed a woman climbing over the edge of the Tuolumne Street Bridge, according to WPVI. The bridge is positioned over railroad tracks. It is over 100 feet tall, and the woman could have fallen on the tracks. It quickly became evident that her intention was to fall and take her own life. The boys ran back to their coach, screaming to call 911. While he did that, they called out to the woman to try to keep her from doing what she went there to do.
Note: If you or any of your loved ones are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can always reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 1-800-273-8255. They are available 24/7 by phone or online chat.
The players on the boys volleyball team at the Kepler Neighborhood School are being hailed as heroes. The boys encountered an extremely unusual situation while out for a run during their Saturday practice.
The boys, who are sixth to eighth graders, were approaching the Tuolumne Street Bridge. About 50 yards away, they saw a woman climbing over the bridge's railing.
The bridge is situated over 100 feet above railroad tracks. The woman was looking to end her own life by plummeting onto the tracks.
When they saw the woman hanging from the edge of the bridge by her arms, they jumped into action. They ran back to tell their coach, urging him to call 911.
The coach, Elliot Murray, called 911 and instructed the boys to talk to the woman. "I immediately told the kids, 'Do everything you can, chant, say 'Stop, your life is worth it', and they just kept on chanting," Elliot told WPVI.
The boys spent about 10 minutes trying to talk to the woman. She eventually decided to pull herself up and get back over to safety before police arrived.
When police spoke to the 47-year-old woman, she revealed that she was attempting suicide.
"We contacted her, found out she was actually trying to commit suicide and the officer placed her on a mental health evaluation hold for 72 hours to be evaluated by mental health workers," explained Lt. Mark Hudson of the Fresno Police Department.
The boys' coach believes that his team's words of encouragement helped the woman make a better decision. "She took a glance and hearing those kids, it registered to her, 'I can't do this in front of them,'" he said.
The event was surely scary and emotional for the boys involved. Thankfully, it ended in the best way possible.
The woman is far from alone in her feeling of hopelessness. In fact, death by suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Our society is slowly learning to open up more about mental health struggles. In doing this, we're removing a lot of the stigma around the discussion and giving people a safe place to honestly discuss their feelings.
In 2017, the National Survey of Drug Use and Mental Health estimated that 0.6% of adults over 18 years old have made at least one suicide attempt. While it seems like a small percentage, that equals an alarming number of people.
The woman, who was surely in a highly vulnerable state, was lucky that the boys' quick thinking and actions saved her. Hopefully, she'll now get the help she needs.
Everyone can do their part in the fight for a healthier tomorrow. Make sure to talk to and check in with the people around you. Sometimes the biggest smiles can mask the deepest pain.
