A distraught woman who was threatening to leap off a Tennessee bridge the day after Christmas was yanked to safety by a fast-thinking highway cop — with the heart-pounding moment captured on bodycam.
The drama unfolded Friday over the Holston River bridge on I-81, when the Tennessee Highway Patrol and a slew of emergency workers responded to reports of a woman in distress, cops said on Facebook.
“A woman was in a dark place and was considering jumping,” police said. “Because people showed up and worked together, she is alive tonight.
“Today ended with a life saved,” they said. “That matters.”
The bodycam clip shows the woman, whose name has not been released, standing precariously on the ledge of the bridge while cops and EMS personnel try to talk her down.
Suddenly the highway cop leaps into action, grabs her and pulls her off the ledge.
The woman is then seen inside an ambulance and was taken for evaluation.
“This time of year can be especially hard,” the department said. “Many people are carrying things no one else can see. Stress, grief, loneliness and fear can pile up fast. That does not mean someone is weak. It means they are human.”
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
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