ORLANDO, Fla. – Truckers mobilized in Orlando to assist police when a man was threatening to jump off an overpass.
The distressed man climbed over the fencing surrounding the overpass above the Florida Turnpike, according to police. Officers shut down that part of the highway. Then, fearing for man’s safety, they turned to truckers passing through the area for help.
Florida Highway Patrol Lt. Kim Montes told CNN affiliate WKMG that the tractor-trailers lined up underneath the overpass to catch the man if he fell. About an hour later, police got the man off the bridge and back to safety.
“Once again, we want to thank these truck drivers, who lined up their rigs on the Turnpike under the overpass while OPD Crisis Team members worked to successfully talk the man down safely,” Orlando Police tweeted.
This isn’t the first time police have used this tactic. In April, Michigan State police enlisted the help of 13 truckers, who lined up underneath a bridge in Detroit, as police rescued a man who was threatening to jump.
If you or someone you know needs help: In the US, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. The International Association for Suicide Prevention and Befrienders Worldwide also can provide contact information for crisis centers around the world.