VILLANO BEACH, Fla. — St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office released video Saturday of a compassionate rescue deputies made of a man in distress atop the Vilano Beach Bridge earlier this week - asking people to seek help if they find themselves in a mental health crisis.
The video posted on the department’s Facebook page show officers trying to comfort the man with straps around his neck at one end and tied to the bridge at the other.
They eventually convinced him to step off the bridge’s railing and into an officer’s arms.
A St. Johns County Fire Rescue spokesman said that the rescue at about 8 p.m. on Thursday took about 30 minutes to perform as traffic backed up on both sides of State Route A1A. The road leads to and from Vilano Beach into the tourist area of St. Augustine.
“Upon arrival, deputies quickly recognized the man was experiencing a mental health crisis and expressing thoughts of self-harm,” the Facebook post said. “As he threatened to jump, deputies showed compassion, pleading for him to come down.”
Deputies brought the man to safety and rescue crews transported him to a healthcare facility for care, the post said.
“You are not alone,” the post said, listing resources for people in crisis. They include calling 911, 211, or calling or texting 988 - the dedicated Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
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