22 October 2023 , 14:41
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A bodycam caught the harrowing moment an NYPD officer managed to talk a suicidal man down from the edge of an overpass.
Carl Fayette and his colleague Eleodoro Mata calmly approached the man as he climbed on the edge of the Riverside Drive highway in Manhattanville in New York on October 5. In the clip, uploaded by the department on Twitter, Fayette could be heard pleading with him and begging him to "please listen.“ "I’ve been in your shoes, man. It’s not worth it,” he continued. “I’ve been in your shoes, brother, and there are solutions. There is a way to ensure you get out of this situation.”
The man was on the overpass for nearly 40 minutes (NYPD News/X)The pair stood by the man's side for almost 40 minutes until Emergency Service Unit officers were able to rescue him. According to the NYPD, the cops often "interact with people having the worst day of their lives.” Fayette comforted the man and informed him that there were resources that could help, reports New York Post. He continued: “I believe that you’re a good man. You’re a good man and I promise you, brother, I promise you, we will do anything in our power to help you."
The department blurred the man's face to help protect his privacy. “I care about you and I care about your life,” Fayette added. His partner also reassured the man and promised to get him support. “We’re here for you, everybody’s here for you," said Mata. "We’re gonna help you. You are stronger than this like Carl told you many times. You are. You can defeat this with our help. Just come back brother, come back.”
Two officers managed to retrieve him safely (NYPD News/X)Fayette told the man he would no longer be alone in his battle and said, "we will be fighting together" as he continued to remain calm. He further offered the man to "lean on my shoulder" and encouraged that things would be ok. “I promise you you’re my friend. I promise you that we will be fighting together," he said. "I promise you that we will give you the services that you need. I love you, brother. Just listen to my voice. You got this brother.”
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In the emotional footage, the man bent forward as he held onto the fence behind him. Fayette described how "beautiful" life is and highlighted the beaming sun. He repeated himself and said, “please don’t give up on me brother.” Two other cops manoeuvred their way around the fence and quickly held onto the man as they took him out of harm's way.
The officers worked together to reassure the man (NYPD News/X)Fayette then hurried away to a nearby police vehicle and started to rub his eyes after becoming overwhelmed. Two other cops walked over to him as he crouched down and told him he did "an amazing job." Captain Jose Taveras, commanding officer of the 26th Precinct, praised the men in a statement and said: “They spoke to the man with genuine empathy to let him know they cared and that help was available, & with the assistance of our [NYPD Special Ops], they got him help."
If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans in the UK operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch. If in the United States, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.