Most of the time the new we see on television, hear on the radio or discover on the Internet is pretty discouraging — a longtime cop turns out to be a serial rapist and murderer, the who played the greatest father ever turns out to have drugged and raped vulnerable young women, more young black men being killed for no reason. BUT, every once in a while a story comes along that gives one hope for the human race — something that show people can still respond to need with kindness and actually make a difference.  In the early morning hours this past Tuesday  a unique act of heroism took place in Detroit.  The Michigan State Police came up with the clever solution to shorten the fall for the man who was threatening suicide. They organized multiple semi truck drivers to remain in place to shorten the distance the man would fall, if he were to jump.

A group of 13 trucks directed by the Michigan State Police,  formed a wall on the I-696 freeway near the Coolidge exit to prevent a man from jumping off the overpass.  Chris Harrison, who was part of the “trucker wall” posted on Facebook on the Twisted Truckers page that the act of heroism took place between 1 and 3 a.m. Tuesday, starting with one truck. Harrison, in replying to other Facebook users, said the cops waved 6 or 7 of the truckers through on the eastbound side of the freeway, then did the same thing on the westbound side. “I just happened to be one of the guys in the front of the line.”

The joint effort resulted in the man being talked down from the edge. Harrison said the highway patrolman walked to each truck, shook the truckers hand and thanked each member for their contribution. Police first heard of a man standing on a bridge that goes over a Detroit freeway at about 1 a.m. Tuesday and officers quickly put a plan in action to stop him from jumping onto the busy road.  Lt. Mike Shaw, a Michigan State Police spokesman, said that his department blocked traffic on Interstate 696 and then asked truckers who had been stopped to  park under the overpass on both the westbound and eastbound sides of the interstate.  Thirteen different trucks arrived at the scene and parked under the bridge to shorten the fall if the suicidal man decided to jump, police say. The man decided to willingly leave the bridge and police took him to a nearby hospital for evaluation.

Negotiators spoke with the man for several hours, and thankfully he did not jump off the bridge. He walked off the overpass, and Huntington Woods officers took him to Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak.

Someone posted an image of the “trucker wall” to the Twisted Truckers Facebook page. It amassed nearly 20,000 shares by noon on Tuesday.  The Michigan State Police urged people to seek help if someone is suicidal. You can call the the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 if you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or compulsions. “You can also call a loved one, member of the clergy or 911,” the police wrote on Twitter. “There are so many people that can help you make the choice to get help and live!”

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the 10th biggest cause of death in the United States. That means just under 45,000 people die from it every year.  There is one completed suicide for every 25 attempts, the AFSP says, and men are nearly four times more likely to attempt to kill themselves than women. Overall, middle-aged white men are the most likely to commit suicide. “It is our hope to never see another photo like this again.”

If you or a loved one is experiencing distress and/or depression, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline immediately at 1-800-273-8255, available 24 hours a day.