Utah Man Pulls Over To Stop Man From Jumping Off Interstate Overpass

A Utah man pulled over to help stop a stranger from jumping off an interstate overpass over the weekend.

Joe Tuia'ana was driving his daughter to a basketball game when he saw a man preparing to jump off the Interstate 15 overpass in Lehi, Utah, into oncoming traffic to take his own life, according to KUTV.

"I immediately knew, OK, it’s all on me. And I thought, 'If this guy jumps, Joe it’s on you,'" Tuia’ana told KUTV.

Tuia'ana walked 20 yards to the man. He said he "asked Jesus to soften his heart to let him know that I loved him." Tuia'ana added, "I was completely overwhelmed with fear, I was walking nice and slow and I had a feeling to just open my arms to this guy."

Tuia'ana got close enough to the man to hear him say he needed help. "I stepped up onto the ledge of the fence, I pulled myself up and grabbed him. He kept looking at me and I could tell this man, this guy, was hurting and I said 'I love you.'"

The two men stayed on the barricaded portion of the overpass until authorities showed up.

"There was a peace, he was shaking and just holding onto me and I just held this guy and we did not say anything else," Tuia'ana said.

Reading about trauma can have an impact on your mental health. If you or someone you know need immediate mental health help, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. These additional resources are also available: 

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255

The National Alliance on Mental Illness 1-800-950-6264

The Anxiety and Depression Association of America 1-240-485-1001