It gently nudged him to the surface and held him there. Kevin became one of only a handful of people to have survived the fall from The Golden Gate Bridge who can still walk and run. He has also authored a memoir, Cracked Not Broken, Surviving and Thriving After a Suicide Attempt. Eighteen years ago, on September 25th, a young man named Kevin Hines got on a bus in San Francisco that was headed toward the Golden Gate Bridge. Rodriquez JF. He is a best-selling author, global public speaker, and award-winning documentary filmmaker. He was the 26 th of the 39 people who plunged into the frigid water that Fall who survived. So there he was, 19 years old, sitting on that bus, crying, and hoping that one person would notice his tears, approach him and ask: If one person approached him, he decided, he wouldnt go through with it. The distance from the bridge to the water is the equivalent of a 25-story building. The family no longer eats pigs. But just as he flew over the guardrail, the point of no return, he changed his mind. New York Times bestselling author, world-renowned interviewer, keynote speaker and host of the podcast Big Questions. This year's theme was suicide prevention, intervention and postvention. [4] Hines threw himself over the rail. The Most Awesome Men's Entertainment Site On The Internet. What keeps us from finding and keeping the love we say we want? [6] He has spoken at schools, colleges, and universities to share his story. It appeared that Kevin was going to be added to the list because he didnt seem to have the strength to remain on the surface. In a few years, that barrier will be in place. He boarded a city bus headed for the Golden Gate Bridge. That we care about you, your life does matter, and that all we want is for you to stay," he says. So wonderful that you have shared your story. A fall like that is akin to landing on concrete. I am privileged to meet every single person along this journey. Mr Hines says he is one of just 34 survivors of falls from the Golden Gate Bridge, which rises high above the San Francisco Bay, and the only one to become a mental health campaigner. LuLu squeezed her 150-pound body through the dog door, cutting her stomach as she shoved herself through. "When I resurfaced I was trying to stay afloat, thinking, 'I am going to drown.' John Kevin Hines (born August 30, 1981) is an American suicide prevention speaker who attempted suicide by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California. Miraculously, I survived and despite my severe injuries, I was able to reach the surface of the water. "Several of them were actively suicidal, because of that we were able to get them help and it became what it is today and that's just travelling all over the place and trying to help one person in an audience.". You have spread hope and love to so many. A young boy in Ontario, Canada, was camping with his parents and decided to stay on land while they boated. That's the mantra of this week's Team Never Quit Podcast, Kevin Hines. "I talked to 120 kids and two weeks later I got 120 letters in return and the letters were amazing, I read every one. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or use their 24/7 Lifeline Crisis Chat. Then, something brushed by my legs, I feared it was a shark come to devour me whole. During that first stay, Hines met a priest who encouraged him to share his story. Others claim the total is much higher. What Did Edward Snowden Actually Reveal About the U.S Government? San Francisco bridge jumper says sea lion saved him . Wikimedia CommonsThe Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California. They stood guard until we found her and then they just left her like a gift and went back into the forest, said Sergeant Wondmu Wedaj. When Jo Ann Altsman suffered a heart attack, help came just in time in the form of a pot-bellied pig. There are no definitive numbers on how many people have died jumping off that bridge. Apparently, this is a pattern among many people contemplating suicide. Kevin Hines, in Australia to speak at several conferences, was a teenager struggling with mental illness and depression when he jumped off the . Although he lived, Mr Hines almost lost his ability to walk and was saved only by 14 hours of surgery on his back. Maybe she didnt. He was also a spokesperson for the movement to erect a suicide barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge, according to CNN. A man named Kevin Hines, who survived a jump off the Golden Gate Bridge on Sept. 25, 2000, recently came to Philadelphia to speak to university students. For confidential support contact Lifeline on 131 114 (Australia), the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1800 273 8255 (US), or Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 (UK). [25] He has campaigned for the installation of a safety net around the Golden Gate Bridge to catch people who jump. But it didnt bite him. Today Kevin is on a mission to help others, starting with a new documentary and a plan to create a Golden Gate Bridge suicide barrier net, After Surviving a Bridge Jump, Kevin Hines Helps Others Avoid Suicide, My Dad Died From Depression: Paul McGregor on Rising Male Suicide Rates, https://www.sfexaminer.com/the-city/public-gets-its-first-look-at-golden-gate-bridge-suicide-deterrent-net/, What to Expect From A First Therapy Session, Forgiveness: How to Let Go of Hurt So You Can Feel Better in 11 Steps, Happy Birthday Psycom: The 10 Most Meaningful Advances in Mental Health Since 1996, Am I "Normal"? The change in my husband since hearing Kevin speak is nothing short of a miracle. The bus dropped him off at a nearby parking lot. But how many of you thought, Really? The third in a seven-part series on the Golden Gate Bridge barrier debate", "He jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge and survived. This depression quiz is based on the Depression Screening Test developed by Ivan K. Goldberg, MD, the founder of Psycom who was also a renowned psychiatrist. By submitting this form, you are agreeing to our collection, storage, use, and disclosure of your personal info in accordance with our privacy policy as well as to receiving e-mails from us. All Rights Reserved It was a Monday, Kevin Hines recalls. I came in, he performed a 14-hour surgery on my back giving me the ability to continue to be able to walk," Mr Hines said. Within 12 minutes of the jump, a Coast Guard rescue team got to Kevin and pulled him out of the water. At age 10, Hines had an epileptic attack, and doctors prescribed him a medication called Tegretol. However, this marine animal (whatever it was) just circled beneath me, bumping me up. I know the truth, and in this case and that is all that matters. 'I say believe it or dont, thats completely up to you. After she left, he took several steps and threw himself over the rail. A man in a Coast Guard uniform laid him down on a stretcher. Temperatures had dipped below freezing during the night. Its not uncommon to read about companion animals who saved their humans lives. [7] He co-founded the Kevin and Margaret Hines Foundation (KMHF), a 501(c)(3) organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, that provides funding and education for suicide prevention in the United States and elsewhere. Mr Hines later found out that was not the case. Amid his struggle to remain afloat, Kevin felt something circling around him. Kevin Hines is a storyteller, best-selling author, global public speaker, and award-winning documentary filmmaker. President Zelensky says he 'plans to meet Xi Jinping' following China's peace proposal, 'How many times does he have to say it for you to believe it?' (Editor's note: Since 1937 approximately 1,800 people have ended their lives by jumping from this iconic bridge. Known as a suicide barrier, the net is set to be completed in January 2021. He miraculous survived because a sea lion was bumping him up and kept his head above water. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Mom who lost both sons to fentanyl blasts laughing Biden, Moment teenager crashes into back of lorry after 100mph police race, Two Russian tanks annihilated with bombs by Ukrainian armed forces, Bizarre moments in Alex Murdaugh double murder trial so far, Stolen car crashes into another car causing building to collapse, Ukrainian soldier takes out five tanks with Javelin missiles, Man who survived Golden Gate Bridge jump after being kept afloat by sea lion shares story with NSW Police suicide prevention conference - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). An All Thats Interesting writer since 2013, Erin Kelly focuses on historic places, natural wonders, environmental issues, and the world of science. Since it was erected in 1937, more than 1700 people are estimated to have jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge, and just 25 are known to have survived, according to Robert Olson of The Centre for Suicide Prevention in Calgary, Canada. Chad (not his real name) and I dated in high school. Then, his parents split up. Many factors contributed to his miraculous survival including a sea lion which kept him afloat until the Coast Guard arrived. Most importantly, when depression, psychosis, paranoia, hallucinations, hopelessness or suicidal thoughts returnand they doHines reaches out to people who comprise a close support network that he calls his "personal protectors.". Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, 'He is NOT a threat': Mental health advocate DEFENDS 6'6" thug, 17, who had to be dragged off unconscious female teaching aide who he knocked out for confiscating his Nintendo Switch, 'Are you a family annihilator, Mr Murdaugh?' If she hadnt stopped and asked, the outcome might have been very different. Text UGLY to 73822 to tell UGGs to choose vegan materials and stop supporting the mutilation and violent killing of sheep! On September 25, 2000, 19-year-old Kevin Hines leaped from the Golden Gate Bridge, intending to end his life. Thats when he felt a bump beneath him. I wish I said to my father that morning, Am I a burden to you? Because he would have said, No. I wish I said to my dad, Im thinking about suicide, because he would have said, Im not letting you go,' Hines said. ago What's the sea lion up to? In the Year 2000, Kevinattempted to take his life by jumping off the Golden GateBridge. He had gone over the railing head first, but when he regretted his decision, turned himself around to land in the water legs first. Mental-health advocate, author, and speaker Kevin Hines owes his life and career to a sea lion. At the time of his jump, he was 19, in college, and had decided he could no longer live. This suicidal person "needs to hear what I needed to hear. $10 flat rate shipping & handling - USA ONLY . Doctors surgically repaired Hines' physical injuries and after four weeks, he entered psychiatric care at St. Francis Hospital in San Francisco, the first of seven in-patient stays to deal with depression, paranoia, and hallucinations. Multiply your revenue NOW using my tried \u0026 tested sales strategies: https://bit.ly/FreeUniversityTrial Shortly after, Hines mental health began spiraling. What no one knew was that Tegretol was also working in the background to suppress what were the dramatic mood swings of bipolar disorder, according to The San Francisco Chronicle. He fell headfirst. Miraculously, a sea lion kept him afloat until the Coast Guard arrived. The instant regret of jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge did not result in instant mental health recovery once Hines survived. One of Hines' major personal protectors is his wife of 12 years, Margaret. "I didn't think I was going to make an impact, I didn't think I was going to help a soul. U.S. only. I was going to end the pain.. Mental-health advocate, author, and speaker Kevin Hines owes his life and career to a sea lion. Be Here Tomorrow - SEA LION on TEAL. Hines helps suicidal people he has met in one-on-one situationsthrough social media and at his speeches. Kevin Hines went to the Walgreens near his college to purchase his last breakfast; Starbursts and Skittles. He opened his email, clicked a button and out popped a picture from birdseye view of my near lifeless body laying atop a circling sea lion. She quickly led him back to Altsman, and he called for help. He obliged. MUST LISTEN!https://youtu.be/dKoYaVTgW6QEmma Gingerich On Leaving The Amish Community And Starting A New Lifehttps://youtu.be/c85Bhg6aCXITHIS Could Be The Reason Why You Are Not Winning | Craig Ballantyne | World's Most Disciplined Manhttps://youtu.be/X95kgk0z0xIOther Videos You Will Lovehttps://youtu.be/x3BRU06Fvuwhttps://youtu.be/AFAE7CMVM_Qhttps://youtu.be/FMK8xAUy2nwDo you want to learn more from Spencer Lodge? "I think the message is very, very simple: you don't have to die this way. Doctors who performed Altsmans open-heart surgery told her that she wouldnt have lived another 15 minutes. Here are the facts: on September 25th, 2000 due to bipolar disorder and serious psychosis, I jumped off of the Golden Gate Bridge. Kevin attempted to take his life by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. Elated. That barrier is now underway and scheduled for completion in 2023. But Mr Hines said he would have died of hypothermia before the coast guard found him, if a driver by had not seen him jump. Nasal spray reduces risk of infection 86% - nearly DOUBLE protection given by shot in arm, 'We asked too much of the audience': Pixar exec admits Lightyear flopped for straying too far from Toy Story, with fans furious over lesbian kiss and axing of conservative star Tim Allen, Pete Buttigieg's 'slow' East Palestine train derailment response is investigated: Republicans accuse him of 'apathy' after taking 20 days to visit one of his 'largest transportation failures', Loved-up T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach can't keep their hands off each other inPuerto Vallarta as her divorce finalizes, Infamous house where University of Idaho students were murdered will be DEMOLISHED - as six-bedroom home is finally boarded up three months after the quadruple slaying, Better be-leaf it! . Hines says hes not sure what kind of creature it was but firmly believes that hed be dead without it. The 4-second fall can be compared to the force of slamming into a concrete wall at 120km/h.If jumpers don't die from impact trauma, they generally die of hypothermia or drowning. Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. Its a great song and a beautiful video. He still has violent flashbacks of the green waters rushing toward him. $30.00 100% Combed Ring-Spun Cotton. Marine animals (dolphins, sea lions) and other creatures have helped save humans and other animals from dangerous situations all over the world. companion animals who saved their humans lives, pride of lions heard her plaintive cries and rushed in, Dick Van Dyke revealed to Craig Ferguson that a pod of porpoises saved his life, help came just in time in the form of a pot-bellied pig, three beavers had curled up beside him and kept him from freezing to death. That one person can stop them. To those who read this, I say believe it or dont, thats completely up to you. Just because youre in this kind of pain right now, doesnt mean its going to be forever. Hines has been featured on CNN,[2] HuffPost,[3] ABC News,[4] Larry King Now,[5] and The Today Show. A female police officer and male bridge workers passed him without stopping. I just read your story on the PETA website, very inspiring and what that sea lion, how cool was he/she? As Hines landed after the freefall, he shattered and crushed three vertebrae. Farm Heroes Saga, the #4 Game on iTunes. Tragically, the boat tipped over and the boy watched as his parents drowned. Sea Lion Saves Golden Gate Bridge Jumper. He stood there a while, then walked onto the bridge looking for a spot where he wouldnt crash into a pillar on the way down. Prosecutor ends explosive grilling with PROOF he lied to cops about his alibi the minute they arrived at the murder scene, Chinese-American Democrat Rep. slams 'racist' Republican who questioned her 'loyalty' and 'competence' and suggested she should be banned from viewing classified information, Finally a vaccine to banish Covid for good? He continued to be tormented, and the hallucinations persisted. Many factors contributed to his miraculous survival including a sea lion which kept him afloat until the Coast Guard arrived. He wrote: Kevin, I am so glad you are alive as I was standing less than two feet away from you when you jumped. After he surfaced, he felt a creature nudging his body which was a sea lion helping to keep Hines afloat until he was rescued by the Coast Guard. But his body would mend before his psyche. 10 Women Who Gave Creepy Guys A Chance, Describe Their Experiences, A Few Videos Guaranteed To Make You Feel Better About Life. Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Survivor Kevin Hines Shares Why He Jumped And Wanted To End His Lifehttps://youtu.be/_qShMbzjggY10 Life-Changing Tips To Boost Your Memory From The World's Best Brain Coach Jim Kwik! Kevin believes in the power of the human spirit and in the fact that you can find the ability to live mentally well. ", "Man Survives Suicide Jump From Golden Gate Bridge", "Kevin Hines: Golden Gate Bridge jump survivor a shining beacon of hope", "Logan Paul returns to YouTube with a documentary about suicide survivors: 'I know I've let people down', "Logan Paul released a new video on suicide", "Robin Williams' Death Shows Suicide Can Strike At Any Age. Why Do People Stay In Abusive Relationships? He has reached millions with his story. A film that saves lives. Hines is a storyteller at heart. Now, Hines travels the world to speak about suicide prevention and mental health, telling his story to help others stay alive. StomachPunch Media LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. "I'm now in a back brace and a [using a] cane, at church with my father and the priest I'd known all my life comes out and says 'come and talk to our students on Good Friday'," he said. Mr Hines's story is one that he never expected to tell. In the Year 2000, Kevin threw himself off . Thank you for reaching out. Hines details his story in the new documentary that he produced, Suicide: The Ripple Effect, which opened across the United States in March 2018. Aged just 21, he was suffering from bipolar disorder and psychosis when he jumped from the San Francisco landmark on a chilly September day in 2000. He told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: 'I guess you would call it a mammal began swimming beneath me and I'm thinking, "Oh man, a shark is about to devour me". A sea lion circled under him, bumping him up to the surface of the water and toward the shore. As he lay crying, he felt a warm, furry body snuggle up to his back. Kevin Hines is a storyteller. Vote 2 2 comments Best Add a Comment beeen_there 2 min. his presentations and sites express the truth about his personal experience with having a very severe mental disease. But as darkness crept in, he knew that he would have to sleep on the cold, damp ground. A pod of porpoises was swimming beside him, gently nudging his board toward the shore until he was close to land. If that tourist had not approached Kevin and asked him to take those photos, perhaps the Sea lion wouldve been in a different spot and this story never would have been told. Cherish it always.". God please save me.. Text STOP to end, HELP for more info. Thats when Kevin catapulted himself over the bridge. For whatever reason, you are now asking the question: Why should animals have rights? READ MORE, Ingrid E. Newkirk, PETA President and co-author of Animalkind. Emotional: Mental health campaigner Kevin Hines told a conference yesterday how he survived a suicide attempt nearly 15 years ago - because a sea lion circled under him and kept him afloat until help arrived. We do not provide counseling or direct services, How to Love Your Partner the Way They Want to Be Loved, How to Handle Feeling Wronged By Your Partner, Stop Feeding Your Worry: Understand and Overcome Anxious Thinking Habits, Confessions of a (Narrow-Minded?!) Her work has also been featured in Smithsonian and shes designed several book covers in her career as a graphic artist. He survived. For years, Hines had bipolar disorder and epilepsy. If this story has raised concerns for you or someone you know, you can contact Lifeline 24 hours a day on 13 11 14. How to Get Your Mental Health Checked, https://www.huffingtonpost.com/kevin-hines/after-my-suicide-attempt-i-made-this-plan-to-stay-alive-and-well_b_9058776.html. Back in 2000, Kevin Hines jumped off the golden gate bridge due mental illnesses. [24], Hines's mission, through his Kevin and Margaret Hines Foundation, is to provide mental health education and suicide prevention information through worldwide public speaking engagements, research initiatives. Less than one percent of them survived but Kevin Hines is among them. Kevin HinesKevin Hines during his high school graduation. Hines also co-wrote and starred in the documentary Film, Suicide: The Ripple Effect, which was awarded Best Story at the Nice International Film Festival in Nice, France, in 2018. He headed toward the Golden Gate Bridge, and paced it for about 40 minutes. Since the bridge opened in 1937, an estimated 2,000 people have done the same. At the age of ten, he was put on Tegretol to help control his epileptic seizures. Later, people who gathered to watch the rescue would say it was a sea lion or a seal. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. In the Year 2000, Kevin threw himself off the Golden Gate Bridge in an attempt to end his life. In that time, he had fleeting thoughts intertwined with a flood of emotion. She thanked him and went on her way. 'You don't have to die this way.'. "I was a mess.". Now he has written a book about his experience, Cracked, Not Broken, and appears at conferences all over the world. Pre-laundered to prevent shrinkage. Delirious from his ordeal and thinking that the animal must be a dog, he fell asleep. Food safety expert warns everyone should be following an EIGHT-STEP process for washing lettuce - or risk being exposed to 'harmful bacteria', Look away, Putin! This is how he would quiet the voices. This is one of the few interviews that have brought me to tears because I could relate to Kevins mental health struggles and suicidal thoughts in many ways.Never underestimate the importance of being kind and caring towards others. The couple met 14 years ago during Hines third involuntary stay in a psychiatric hospital. to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way. Somehow mid-fall, Kevin Hines was able to turn his body from a headfirst dive into a sitting position. Current subscribers: You will continue to receive e-mail unless you explicitly opt out by clicking, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. She told the authorities that while her kidnappers had beaten her, the animals had never threatened her. And he didn't. Now, The 37-year-old. EXCLUSIVE: Jihadi John's brother was convicted of handling Grisly details emerge of shooting in rural Queensland after Isabel Oakeshott receives 'menacing' message from Matt Hancock, Beaming Harry and Meghan enjoy date night at private members' club, Ken Bruce finishes his 30-year tenure as host of BBC Radio 2, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' His story was featured in the 2006 film The Bridgeby the film director and producer Eric Steel. He suffered the loss of his drama teacher by suicide. But the instinct for survival at that moment outweighed the excruciating pain as he sank deeper and deeper into the ever-darkening frigid water. He fought to get a barrier constructed under the bridge to deter people from jumping. I didnt die, he remembers thinking, and now Im going to be eaten by a shark. Whatever the creature was, it kept Hines buoyant by periodically nudging him to keep him afloat, according to