Many factors contributed to his miraculous survival including a sea lion which kept him afloat until the Coast Guard arrived. He fought to get a barrier constructed under the bridge to deter people from jumping. Repeatedly, courageous, compassionate animals show us that they dont deserve to be treated as food, clothing, laboratory equipment, performers for our amusement, or pests who are in our way. I was actually very happy that morning, he told the Chronicle. Shortly after, Hines mental health began spiraling. Australia's biggest drug bust: $1 billion worth of cocaine linked to Mexican cartel intercepted, Four in hospital after terrifying home invasion by gang armed with machetes, knives, hammer, 'We have got the balance right': PM gives Greens' super demands short shrift, Crowd laughs as Russia's foreign minister claims Ukraine war 'was launched against us', The tense, 10-minute meeting that left Russia's chief diplomat smoking outside in the blazing sun, 'Celebrity leaders': Mike Pompeo, Nikki Haley take veiled jabs at Donald Trump in CPAC remarks, Hong Kong court convicts three members of Tiananmen vigil group for security offence, as publisher behind Xi biography released, 'How dare they': Possum Magic author hits out at 'ridiculous' Roald Dahl edits, Vanuatu hit by two cyclones and twin earthquakes in two days, New suicide prevention app saving lives, developers say, Rare sighting of bird 'like Beyonce, Prince and Elvis all turning up at once', Emily was studying law when she had to go to court. Kevin gave him hope. Miraculously, a sea lion kept him afloat until the Coast Guard arrived. 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. Depressive cycles came in regular intervals; Thursdays and Fridays were the worst days. Hed thought a gunshot or pills would be too painful; this was the easiest way. shoes to wear with dress pants in winter; baltimore county inspection connection; iranian football players in europe; "I got out of the hospital, went into a psych ward, got out of the psych ward," he said. He miraculously survived because a sea lion was bumping him up and kept his head above water. 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?' He was also a spokesperson for the movement to erect a suicide barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge, according to CNN. Doctors who performed Altsmans open-heart surgery told her that she wouldnt have lived another 15 minutes. I didn't think I was going to make an impact, I didn't think I was going to help a soul. Our latest release is an anti-poaching/animal slaughter anthem entitled Animals. My dad was not prepared for, nor would he ever willingly want to see what came through to his inbox. But the instinct for survival at that moment outweighed the excruciating pain as he sank deeper and deeper into the ever-darkening frigid water. Thousands have communicated to Hines that his story helped save their lives. But a man on the bridge whod watched Kevin fall saw what it was. Later, people who gathered to watch the rescue would say it was a sea lion or a seal. . For more information on his plan, click here. 'You don't have to die this way.'. All I wanted to do was reach back to the rail, but it was gone.. "Jump now," said the voice in Kevin Hines's head. He was the 26 th of the 39 people who plunged into the frigid water that Fall who survived. What You Need to Know About Narcissistic Relationships, The Critical Inner Voice That Causes Depression Webinar Resources, How to Succeed in Life Without Really Trying. SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://www.youtube.com/c/SpencerLodgeTV 2. LuLu squeezed her 150-pound body through the dog door, cutting her stomach as she shoved herself through. If this story has raised concerns for you or someone you know, you can contact Lifeline 24 hours a day on 13 11 14. "My goal is to try to instill hope in at least one individual," Hines says, "so that one individual says, 'Maybe I can stay here, maybe there are tools to fight this.'" When Jo Ann Altsman suffered a heart attack, help came just in time in the form of a pot-bellied pig. Lately,there seems to be quite a bit of debate as to whether or not a sea lion saved my life, Robert W. Firestone, Ph.D. This book offers a consistently developed set of hypotheses centering around the concept of the, Here you can watch the live recording or view slides from Dr. Lisa Firestones December 6, 2011 Webinar The Critical, All right, so that title is probably a tad misleading. The net has started construction and the project is scheduled to be completed in 2023. We want you and your loved ones to be safe and stay here so we always want to encourage you to seek support from these amazing providers; Text: CNQR to 741 741 Crisis Text Line (USA Only), Visit: www.suicide.org (International Phone Numbers). We are no longer accepting comments on this article. He survived but was severely injured and trying to stay afloat in the churning, frigid water. "At that speech I shook and I cried and I barely got through it and these kids were impacted. The impact force was comparable to slamming into a concrete wall. Text STOP to end, HELP for more info. The force attended nearly 50,000 mental health incidents last year. His story was featured in the 2006 film The Bridgeby the film director and producer Eric Steel. And that today is not tomorrow," he said. As he lay crying, he felt a warm, furry body snuggle up to his back. And by the way it was not a shark (like you mentioned in the TV show) it was a sea lion and I have pictures. Just then, a woman with blonde, curly hair and sunglasses approached him. When he composed himself he showed me the picture and together we agreed that no one should see it. On his walk up the pathway, he wept. The instant regret of jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge did not result in instant mental health recovery once Hines survived. In 2000, a then-19-year-old Kevin Hines jumped off San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. One of the lives Hines has saved belongs to the husband of Lorena Stephens of Massachusetts. 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. But immediately after the four-second fall there was another, more incredible miracle. ago What's the sea lion up to? 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. Back in 2000, Kevin Hines jumped off the golden gate bridge due mental illnesses. The creature was later identified as a sea lion by a witness. Now he has written a book about his experience, Cracked, Not Broken, and appears at conferences all over the world. It looks like Kevin will realize his mission in the not-too-distant future. "I was on a show for suicide prevention and I mentioned that I thought there was this shark on this show and a man wrote into the show and he said, 'Kevin, I'm so very glad you're alive, I was less than two feet away from you when you jumped'," he said. . This is how it all started.". His lower vertebrae were fractured, his legs werent working, and he propelled himself to the surface using only his arms, gasping for air. But just as he flew over the guardrail, the point of no return, he changed his mind. A man who survived a suicide leap from the Golden Gate Bridge has told in detail how he was saved by a sea lion which kept him afloat until the coastguard arrived. Cherish it always.". At 19, Kevin Hines struggled with mental illness and depression. All of our shop proceeds will be donated to Zero Suicide International. When the bad feelings return, Hines says, "I always tell someone who loves me and who cares about me and who empathizes with me," he says. It came closer and closer and got underneath him. Hines is a storyteller at heart. 'I say believe it or dont, thats completely up to you. The three lions chased off the men and sat quietly with the girl until the police arrived, then disappeared back into the brush. "He said: 'It haunted me until this day; it was no shark, it was a sea lion and the people above looking down believed it to be keeping you afloat until the coast guard brought a ride behind you.'". A sea lion, Hines says, kept pushing him above the water's surface until the Coast Guard rescued him. He shares his compelling story of hope . $30.00 100% Combed Ring-Spun Cotton. Kevin Hines stands on the beach overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Kevin HinesKevin Hines during his high school graduation. 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! 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. And he spent more than a decade after he recovered lobbying the city of San Francisco to install a suicide net below the pedestrian walkway to prevent others from dying as he intended in the water below. 'However, I know that it was a sea lion and it is not a statistic anomaly. and lived! (Editor's note: Since 1937 approximately 1,800 people have ended their lives by jumping from this iconic bridge. "I was suffering mentally with bipolar disorder, type one psychotic features and I was hearing voices that were telling me I was useless, worthless, not meant for this world and a burden to all who loved me none of that was true but I couldn't see it," he said. The picture was grotesque, morbid and yet, at the very same time, beautiful. Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. Previously, he was a board member of the Northern California Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and was a two-term member of San Franciscos Mental Health Board. We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. He obliged. Then, suddenly, he felt hands grab him and hoist him out of the water. My father was an emotional wreck and he nearly fell out of his chair. Somehow mid-fall, Kevin Hines was able to turn his body from a headfirst dive into a sitting position. She handed Kevin her camera and posed. He needed his immense mental pain to end but regretted his decision the moment he jumped. Show Dear Family,, Ep Kevin Hines- Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Jumper Saved by a Sea Lion Becomes Inspirational Storyteller and Filmmaker with Message of . A sea lion, Hines says, kept pushing him above the water's surface until the Coast Guard rescued him. Temperatures had dipped below freezing during the night. Pre-laundered to prevent shrinkage. He fell 220 feet roughly the height of a 25-story building in four seconds, praying on the way down, because as soon as he went over he realized hed made the biggest mistake of his life. KTVU FOX 2 SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - Almost 20 years ago, Kevin Hines jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge. Two weeks later, the children sent him letters. He survived. This is how he would quiet the voices. The Most Awesome Men's Entertainment Site On The Internet. Finally, a good Samaritan stopped to check on her. PETA Leads the Charge: Inside the Global Effort to Take Down Exotic Skins, Ugandas First Vegan School Wins PETA Kindness Award, Diane Warren Is Standing With PETA to Help End the Iditarod, And the Winners of PETAs Sixth Annual Oscat Awards Are, PETA Scientists Join International Coalition Working to End Cosmetics Tests on Animals, NIH-Funded Scam Facility Shut Down; 108 Monkeys Seized in Colombia. About seven months after the jump, a hesitant Hines gave his first talk, to 120 seventh and eighth-graders. A fall like that is akin to landing on concrete. Incredibly, a sea lion who was swimming nearby kept his body afloat until the Coast Guard rescued him. Thank you for reaching out. FOLLOW SPENCER LODGE:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spencer.lodge/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/spencerlodgeofficial/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spencerlodge/Get a FREE 7-day trial to my Make It Happen Sales University! [10], The New York Post reported: "Now Hines, whowhen he leapthad recently been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, tells his story to at-risk groups around the nation, urging people to get treatment for mental illness and helping them realize that suicide is not the answer. Since the bridge opened in 1937, an estimated 2,000 people have done the same. Mr Hines still lives with paranoia, auditory and visual hallucinations, manic highs and depressive lows from bipolar disorder and panic attacks. Something alive. Stay up to date on the latest vegan trends and get breaking animal rights news delivered straight to your inbox! It was a Monday, Kevin Hines recalls. 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. And even though the voices were still there, hed made a pact with himself. After she left, he took several steps and threw himself over the rail. Because of this animal, Hines survived and has dedicated his life to mental-health advocacy and suicide prevention. "When I resurfaced I was trying to stay afloat, thinking, 'I am going to drown.' Kevin Hines is a suicide survivor after jumping off of the Golde. When he woke up, there was no land in sight. Then, take a look at these heartbreaking photos from the scene of Kurt Cobains suicide. 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.". When Hines was nine months old, he was adopted by Pat and Debbie Hines in the San Francisco area. Play it now! He has spoken in congressional hearings alongside Patrick Kennedy in support of The Mental Health Parity Bill. It was like God sent him to us at a time when my husband needed it the most.". Cal Fussman's 3-Minute Takeaway. Now, he's seeing his wish for a safety net come true", "He jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge . 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 wrote: Kevin, I am so glad you are alive as I was standing less than two feet away from you when you jumped. Now he is a suicide prevention speaker. Thats when Kevin catapulted himself over the bridge. After leaping, Hines, as described by Time, had instant regret: "When my hands left that railand my legs curled overas soon as I left the bridge, I thought, I dont want to die.". A woman with a German accent did come up to him and asked him to take her picture at the bridge, but she did not mention anything about his tears or ask about his well-being. Thank you. I just read your story on the PETA website, very inspiring and what that sea lion, how cool was he/she? Depression, delusions, paranoiathese conditions drove Kevin Hines to attempt suicide, but he survived. On September 25, 2000, 19-year-old Kevin Hines leaped from the Golden Gate Bridge, intending to end his life. He survived but was severely injured and trying to stay afloat in the churning, frigid 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.". Hines hopes that each time he tells his story, the hope he conveys to the suffering will enable them to open up, to realize, 'I can help myself today,'" Hines says. Cherish it always.. But he survived. This year's theme was suicide . Somehow, he managed to swim as well as he could out of the darkness and toward the light. Inside Kevin Hines Miraculous Survival After Jumping Off The Golden Gate Bridge. Since the bridge opened in 1937, an estimated 2,000 people have done the same. Maybe she sensed something. In 2000, Kevin Hines jumped off the golden gate bridge due mental illnesses. She somehow opened the fence gate, walked into the road, and lay down in the middle of traffic. Kevins goal is to spread a message of how he tried, through dedication and hard work, while following a treatment plan which his doctors, and clinicians set for him: to change his life and how he learned to live mentally well. But the woman held out a camera and asked him to take her photo. Nobody approached Kevin. 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. But once he jumped, all he recalls feeling is immediate regret and a will to live. Kevin Hines now has a metal plate in his spine. As Hines landed after the freefall, he shattered and crushed three vertebrae. Now, Hines travels the world to speak about suicide prevention and mental health, telling his story to help others stay alive. 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. "[I was] in the water desperately trying to stay alive and stay afloat, [and] 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'," he said. Man who survived Golden Gate Bridge jump after being kept afloat by sea lion shares story with NSW Police suicide prevention conference. Public Gets its First Look at Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Deterrent Net. Its a great song and a beautiful video. My husband has chronic suicidal thoughts and paranoia just like Kevin. 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. In 2000, Kevin attempted to take his life by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge. Miraculously, I survived and despite my severe injuries, I was able to reach the surface of the water. "I realized I made the greatest mistake of my life.". Email Address. "If someone had looked at me on that bridge or on that bus and said that to me, I would have begged for help.". 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. 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! That one person can stop them. Stephens recently wrote an email to Hines after her frequently suicidal husband heard him speak. Hines plunged downward into the calm water. Less than one percent of them survived but Kevin Hines is among them. 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. [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. To those who read this, I say believe it or dont, thats completely up to you. Kevin Hines during his high school graduation. Its not uncommon to read about companion animals who saved their humans lives. Suicide: The Ripple Effect, a feature length documentary, chronicles the story of Kevin Hines, who at age 19 attempted to take his life by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge. For much of the time since that day 18 years ago, Kevin has devoted himself to stopping suicide. [9] He turned himself around to land in the water legs first. to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way. Elated. ", "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. Hines has been featured on CNN,[2] HuffPost,[3] ABC News,[4] Larry King Now,[5] and The Today Show. After reading about the incredible survival story of Kevin Hines, learn about Alfred Loewenstein, the multi-millionaire who fell out of his own airplane. The couple met 14 years ago during Hines third involuntary stay in a psychiatric hospital. Maybe she didnt. Kevins will to live and stay mentally well has inspired people worldwide. He survived the fall, only. Kevin Hines, in Australia to speak at several conferences, was a teenager struggling with mental illness and depression when he jumped off the famous bridge in 2000. For a long time, Kevin didnt know what it was. At age 10, Hines had an epileptic attack, and doctors prescribed him a medication called Tegretol. On that note, Im part of a musical collective called One Earth. The family no longer eats pigs. "[The doctor] stayed for another reason. At the age of ten, he was put on Tegretol to help control his epileptic seizures. What Was It Like To Be Shipped To A Concentration Camp? In the Year 2000, Kevin threw himself off . Published: 10:57 EST, 3 March 2015 | Updated: 17:01 EST, 3 March 2015. According to the San Francisco Examiner, the safety net that Hines and others have lobbied so hard far is finally under construction. Hines, 33, is now a mental health worker who shares his story of mental illness and depression at events around the world, hoping to prevent other suicide attempts. With the click of a button it was gone. Today, Kevin is an award-winning mental health activist, best-selling author, and documentarian. His compelling story has touched diverse, global audiences within colleges and universities, high schools, corporations, clergy, military, clinicians, health and medical communities, law enforcement organizations, and various industries. 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. As a young surfer enjoying the waves off the coast of Virginia, he had lain on his board relaxing and fallen asleep. As he was falling, he realized he didn't want to die. A film that saves lives. 1-800-273-8255 Suicide Survivor Kevin Hines Shares Remarkable Story About How A Sea Lion Saved His Life 30,893 views Sep 15, 2020 540 Dislike Spencer Lodge 8.2K subscribers Notice. In that time, he had fleeting thoughts intertwined with a flood of emotion. He fell headfirst. The thoughts in those four seconds, he said, were What have I just done? Multiply your revenue NOW using my tried \u0026 tested sales strategies: https://bit.ly/FreeUniversityTrial Suddenly, it didnt matter how cold the water felt or how much trouble breathing he was having because Kevin sensed he was about to be eaten by a shark. I know the truth, and in this case and that is all that matters.'. They likely intended to sell her into a forced marriage. "And I did. Several of the kids told Hines his talk made a difference and that they received the help they needed. 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. Kevin Hines is a storyteller. 2 Gayguymike 1 min. "', Landmark: By a stroke of luck, a witness saw Mr Hines jump from the vast bridge and alerted the coastguard, Conference: Mr Hines spoke at the New South Wales Police Force Mental Health Intervention Team conference in Sydney, Australia. Kevin Hines StoryKevin Hines stands on the beach overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. "The thing that changed my life forever," he says of the meeting. As you can imagine Kevin receives numerous amounts of messages and as much as he wishes he could respond to everyone, it does become difficult. Hines helps suicidal people he has met in one-on-one situationsthrough social media and at his speeches. 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. Do not sell or share my personal information. Kevin sat on the boards of the International Bipolar Foundation (IBPF), the Bridge Rail Foundation (BRF) and the Mental Health Association of San Francisco (MHASF) and on the Survivors Committee of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. [4] Hines threw himself over the rail. You cant go back! 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