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Teenager who asked man about to jump off bridge 'Are you okay?' says he just likes to help people | |
(5 months later) | |
A boy who saved the life of a suicidal man by simply asking him "Are you okay?” has said he did it because he likes to help people who need help. | A boy who saved the life of a suicidal man by simply asking him "Are you okay?” has said he did it because he likes to help people who need help. |
Jamie Harrington, from Ballymun, Dublin, told the Humans of Dublin project about a meeting with a man in his 30s sitting on the edge of a bridge and about to jump off it. | Jamie Harrington, from Ballymun, Dublin, told the Humans of Dublin project about a meeting with a man in his 30s sitting on the edge of a bridge and about to jump off it. |
After sitting down and speaking to the stranger for 45 minutes, 16-year-old Jamie persuaded the man to go to hospital and seek treatment. | After sitting down and speaking to the stranger for 45 minutes, 16-year-old Jamie persuaded the man to go to hospital and seek treatment. |
The unnamed man is now expecting a baby boy with his wife, who they will name after the teenager. | The unnamed man is now expecting a baby boy with his wife, who they will name after the teenager. |
Jamie told the Independent: “It was just instinct to help that man and now lots of people around the world know about it. | Jamie told the Independent: “It was just instinct to help that man and now lots of people around the world know about it. |
“I hope it makes people open their eyes to what is going on around them. | “I hope it makes people open their eyes to what is going on around them. |
“I like to help people who need help.” | “I like to help people who need help.” |
Jamie’s story has since attracted more than 33,000 likes on the Humans of Dublin Facebook page and been shared by thousands online. | Jamie’s story has since attracted more than 33,000 likes on the Humans of Dublin Facebook page and been shared by thousands online. |
Jamie wrote in his post: “I stopped and asked him if he was okay, but I knew from the look in his eyes he wasn't, and he didn't say anything either, but I saw tears coming from his eyes. | Jamie wrote in his post: “I stopped and asked him if he was okay, but I knew from the look in his eyes he wasn't, and he didn't say anything either, but I saw tears coming from his eyes. |
“I pleaded with him for a while to come down and sit on the steps, and eventually he did. | “I pleaded with him for a while to come down and sit on the steps, and eventually he did. |
“We sat on the sidewalk on the south side of the Liffey and talked for about 45 minutes, about what was happening to him, why was he feeling that way... | “We sat on the sidewalk on the south side of the Liffey and talked for about 45 minutes, about what was happening to him, why was he feeling that way... |
“I couldn't leave him there alone, but I had to go, so I was going to ring an ambulance. I told him they could help him feel better. | “I couldn't leave him there alone, but I had to go, so I was going to ring an ambulance. I told him they could help him feel better. |
“But he was like ‘please, please don't call them, I'm fine, I just want to walk around for a while, I'm gonna be okay!’ | “But he was like ‘please, please don't call them, I'm fine, I just want to walk around for a while, I'm gonna be okay!’ |
“I told him to please let me ring an ambulance, that I wouldn't sleep knowing he was just walking around alone. So I rang it and he was taken to St. James Hospital.” | “I told him to please let me ring an ambulance, that I wouldn't sleep knowing he was just walking around alone. So I rang it and he was taken to St. James Hospital.” |
Jamie exchanged phone numbers with the man, who contacted him three months later with the news of his wife’s pregnancy. | Jamie exchanged phone numbers with the man, who contacted him three months later with the news of his wife’s pregnancy. |
“He said in that moment that I approached him, he was just about to jump, and those few words saved his life,” Jamie continued in the post. | “He said in that moment that I approached him, he was just about to jump, and those few words saved his life,” Jamie continued in the post. |
“That they're still ringing in his head every day. ‘Are you okay?’ | “That they're still ringing in his head every day. ‘Are you okay?’ |
“I can't really understand how these few words could save his life, but he told me, 'imagine if nobody ever asked you those words'." | “I can't really understand how these few words could save his life, but he told me, 'imagine if nobody ever asked you those words'." |
The teenager is a youth ambassador for Dublin2020, the city’s bid to become the European Capital of Culture in 2020, the project which brought him into contact with Humans of Dublin. | The teenager is a youth ambassador for Dublin2020, the city’s bid to become the European Capital of Culture in 2020, the project which brought him into contact with Humans of Dublin. |