Kevin hines jumped off the golden gate bridge and lived megyn. I was once prevented from jumping off this bridge by an officer though not by kevin and i could relate to some of the people he mentions in this book. Guardian officer has saved over 200 people from jumping. He patrolled the southern end of san franciscos golden gate bridge, a popular site for suicide attempts. Surface tension is the elastic tendency of a fluid surface which makes it acquire the least surface area possible. The bridge, jumping off the golden gate debate politics. Instead, the bridge marks the beginning of his remarkable story.
Health month, we present the true story of a traffic cop who is credited with saving over 200 people from jumping off the. Meet kevin briggs, guardian of the golden gate bridge the. Obvious reasons for the bridges popularity are that it is easy and effective, but there must be something more, for many suicides travel over the equally effective and accessible san franciscooakland bay bridge to jump off the golden gate. Why is jumping off of a bridge like the golden gate fatal. After a fall of four seconds, jumpers hit the water at around 75 mph 120 kmh. I was convinced i was going to hurl myself off but his voice made me stop and grab the. He told buzzfeed, i was born on drugs and premature.
We carry official 75th anniversary items, along with educational books and dvds about the building of the golden gate bridge. This bridge is the quintessential symbol of san francisco, and obviously no visit to san francisco is complete without going to one of the vistas or driving over the bridge. John kevin hines birth parents were poor, troubled people who had their baby taken away by social. Kevin briggs, a sergeant in the california highway patrol has saved hundreds of people from jumping off the golden gate bridge. Exactly what happens when a person leaps off the golden gate bridge. A person jumping from the highest point on the bridge will drop. Apr 30, 2019 briggs is a former california highway patrol officer who spent years convincing hundreds of people who were on the brink of jumping off the golden gate bridge into coming back over the rail and giving life another chance. The instant regret of jumping off the golden gate bridge did not result in instant mental health recovery once hines survived. There should be no stigma about depression and other mental illnesses. Yet, for author kevin hines the bridge is not merely a marker of a place or a time. He has visited mental hospitals several times since his jump. I have attended one of kevins seminars, and left feeling deeply touched and impressed with his passion, dedication, and presentation of the seminar regarding mental illness.
In an emotional video that was released by the police department earlier this week, little can be. Briggs and i talk about what it was like to be a negotiator working with people seconds away from jumping from the golden gate bridge. Just a few weeks ago, we had a student at our university commit suicide by jumping off of a high bridge into water. Guardian of the golden gate by kevin briggs goodreads. Kevin briggs is a retired california highway patrol sergeant. Watch police officer help to save suicidal man from bridge. This guy jumped off the golden gate bridge and survived to. Jul 15, 2001 obvious reasons for the bridge s popularity are that it is easy and effective, but there must be something more, for many suicides travel over the equally effective and accessible san franciscooakland bay bridge to jump off the golden gate.
He has since written a book, guardian of the golden gate. Sergeant kevin briggs also known as the guardian of the golden gate bridge is a california highway patrol officer who has stopped upwards of two hundred people from jumping off of the golden gate bridge into san francisco bay. Perhaps jumping from a popular site is a way of committing a public act. His death is documented in the 2006 film the bridge. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. I was once prevented from jumping off this bridge by an officer though not by kevin and i could relate to some of the people he. Police officer called the guardian of the golden gate bridge has talked more than 200 people out of jumping off it. Officials approve steel net on golden gate bridge to prevent. Request speaker watch video about kevin kevin briggs shares his experiences while patrolling the golden gate bridge as both an officer and a sergeant with the california highway. Guardian and wouldbe jumper discuss neardeath experiences.
Jan 01, 2012 the golden gate bridge is one of the most beautiful and most photographed structures in the world. Briggs is a former california highway patrol officer who spent years convincing hundreds of people who were on the brink of jumping off the golden gate bridge into coming back over the rail and giving life another chance. Since 1937 over 2000 people have died at the golden gate bridge i feel lucky to be alive every single day for the thousands that have died of the golden gate bridge i am of the one percent who have survived so i was born on drugs and premature and i bounced around from home to home nobody wanna keep me because i was sick and i got lucky i learned in the home of patrick and debra heins i. Be the first to ask a question about guardian of the golden gate. The golden gate bridge web store specializes in apparel, books, posters, prints, mugs, and gifts inspired by the iconic golden gate bridge. Kevin briggs will be signing his book, guardian of the golden gate. Reading this article is the safest way to find out. A jumper advocates for a barrier and makes a new life. Golden gate bridge suicides the charley project blog. Surface tension allows insects, which are usually denser than water, to float and stride on the surface of water. Sergeant kevin briggs is a california highway patrol officer noted for his work in suicide intervention, having dissuaded more than two hundred people from jumping off of the golden gate bridge into san francisco bay. This is why i have often said, in a rather casual way, that i dont think there should be a fence on the golden gate bridge.
Guardian officer has saved over 200 people from jumping off. Police officer called the guardian of the golden gate bridge. Sep 29, 2005 a glass of wine with a rough sleeper, santa in trunks, a thousand partying muscovites in a my best shot special, top photographers pick the image that sums up winter for them. Depending on what time of day you visit the bridge will be covered in fog, but it still beautiful when covered in mist.
Briggs has been dubbed the guardian of the golden gate bridge because of his aweinspiring history of talking people down from the edge of. Its also the only international landmark without a. The bridge between suicide and life kevin briggs youtube. Berthia was one of the more than 200 people briggs claims to have saved from jumping off the span. This guy jumped off the golden gate bridge and survived to tell his story. Perhaps many of them, like me, do not want to jump off into the deep water far, far below, but something says. Kevin berthia on the golden gate bridge the guardian. This man jumped off the golden gate bridge and lived. Jan 18, 2019 6 things you may not know about the golden gate bridge. Its the washington bridge on the u of m campus, if anyone is familiar. Jun 12, 2018 this man jumped off the golden gate bridge and lived.
At age 19, a mentally ill kevin hines tried to kill himself by jumping off the golden gate bridge. Officials approve steel net on golden gate bridge to prevent suicides. During the filming of the bridge, the crew noticed sprague walking back and forth along the bridge for around 90 minutes, before stopping to lean over the railing. On average, people jump from the bridge once every two weeks. He also wrote the afterword in briggss new book, guardian of the. May 26, 2016 this is why people who are perhaps weak to begin with jump to their death at times. Protecting the line between hope and despair, and retired from the highway patrol in order to.
This is why people who are perhaps weak to begin with jump to their death at times. More people have committed suicide on the golden gate bridge than on any other structure in the worldsomeone jumps from the bridge to their death about every two weeks. Briggs is widely known as the guardian of the golden gate bridge and during his years as a california highway patrolman he talked down over two hundred people from jumping off the bridge. The author, a retired california highway patrol officer, describes his interaction with suicidal citizens who want to jump off the golden gate bridge. Cop hailed as guardian of the golden gate bridge after stopping more than 200 people jumping. For many years sergeant kevin briggs had a dark, unusual, at times strangely rewarding job. Suicides mounting, golden gate looks to add a safety net. Amazingly, he lived, and fully recovered from injuries to his legs and spine. The california highway patrol officer has talked more than 200 wouldbe jumpers off the ledge. These challenging, but rewarding efforts earned him the nickname guardian of the golden gate bridge. Suicide is not a permanent answer to temporary problems. Teenager survives golden gate bridge jump us news the. At 19 years old, kevin attempted to take his own life by jumping off the golden gate bridge a distance which took four seconds to fall. Patrol officer, describes his interaction with suicidal citizens who want to jump off the golden gate bridge.
Steel and his crew filmed the bridge during daylight hours from two separate locations for all of 2004, recording most of the two dozen deaths in that year and preventing several others. The plan to keep people from jumping off the golden gate bridge. Briggs shared some of his strategies and his struggles working with hundreds of people, some of whom jumped and some of whom didnt. May 14, 2014 for many years sergeant kevin briggs had a dark, unusual, at times strangely rewarding job.
Suicides mounting, golden gate looks to add a safety net an estimated 1,600 people have committed suicide by jumping off the golden gate. I found this article about golden gate bridge suicides, which mentions matthew chase whitmer, a young man with schizoaffective disorder who jumped off the bridge in 2007. Read cnn fast facts about the golden gate bridge, a suspension bridge that crosses the golden gate, a strait that leads to the san francisco bay. On the charley project i have many people who have probably jumped off the golden gate bridge and were never found.
Mar 27, 2014 suicides mounting, golden gate looks to add a safety net an estimated 1,600 people have committed suicide by jumping off the golden gate bridge, which has warnings but no barrier. Every time a person jumps from the golden gate bridge, his or her broken corpse is brought to fort baker by solemn sailors of the u. A san francisco man who almost took his life eight years ago by jumping off the golden gate bridge has been reunited with the hero who saved his life. Nov 02, 2005 every time a person jumps from the golden gate bridge, his or her broken corpse is brought to fort baker by solemn sailors of the u. He now works daily, and diligently, to manage continued symptoms that can include depression and hearing voices. On may 11, 2004, gene sprague, a native of san mateo, california, committed suicide by jumping off the golden gate bridge. Berthia was one of the more than 200 people briggs claims to have saved from jumping off the.
Man suicides off golden gate bridge, scary do not watch if you do not want to be disturbed. Kevin hines jumped off the golden gate bridge, and survived. The golden gate bridge is the most popular suicide spot in the world. Does anyone know of a list of names and what number they were of jumpers off the golden gate bridge. The golden gate bridge, referred to by krista tippett as a suicide magnet, is the secondmost used suicide sitesuicide bridge in the world, after the nanjing yangtze river bridge see list of suicide sites. The bridge, jumping off the golden gate interesting video exploring the effects of suicide on families that lost loved ones on the golden gate bridge in san francisco, california. During his 23 year career, he has dissuaded over 200 individuals from jumping off the golden gate bridge.
The wind was gusting around the golden gate bridge on a march. Apr 19, 2011 the golden gate bridge is the most popular suicide spot in the world. This is a documentary exploration of the mythic beauty of the golden gate bridge, the most popular suicide destination in the world, and those drawn by its call. Contact us to arrange for kevin to speak at your location. The marin county coroners office and the golden gate bridge, highway and transportation district say that up to 1,500 people have died after jumping off the bridge since it opened in 1937. Briggs talked berthia back to safety as hes done with countless others and written about in his new book, guardian of. Guardian officer has saved over 200 people from jumping off the golden gate bridge. Jan 19, 2018 i jumped off the golden gate bridge and survived. Since it opened in 1937, more than 1,500 people have died jumping off the bridge, making it the top suicide site on earth.