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Suicide-related stories are sadly all too frequent. A quick glance at the news or a search for 'suicide' online will bombard you with endless accounts of sorrow, despair, and tragic, isolated deaths. Yet, not every suicide attempt ends in tragedy. Occasionally, at rock bottom, a glimmer of hope surfaces—just a brief, pivotal moment that reminds someone that life still holds meaning.
10. The Endless Wait
In December 2001, Barry Parr, a window cleaner in a small village in the UK, was finishing a job when he heard a cry. Looking up, he saw a 14-year-old girl preparing to hang herself from a nearby tree. Demonstrating his emerging heroism, Parr grabbed his ladder and sprinted across the street, attempting to convince her to come down. That's when the situation escalated.
As soon as Parr began climbing the ladder, the girl leapt. Fortunately, Parr managed to catch her in midair, holding her just high enough off the ground to save her life. Unfortunately, he found himself stuck on the ladder, trying to keep a frantic, struggling teenager from escaping his grip and completing the tragic act. It was the dead of winter, and the two were alone in the village. How long do you think Parr held on? Ten minutes? Twenty?
It lasted a full hour. For an entire hour, Parr stood on the ladder, holding a panicked, suicidal girl above the freezing ground. Eventually, someone realized this wasn’t a staged performance and called the police—but not before Parr showed just how far someone would go to save one isolated girl’s life.
9. The Kiss That Saved A Life
One of the most painful aspects of youth is the illusion that fleeting troubles are eternal. When a nameless 16-year-old boy in China faced yet another crushing blow to his already impoverished family, he decided to escape his torment rather than endure a life of misery. He climbed over a pedestrian bridge railing, ready to leap, when Liu Wenxiu, a passing waitress, decided to intervene.
Despite never having met the boy before, and knowing nothing about his struggles, she followed him to the railing and did what she could: She listened. She heard this random 16-year-old describe the dark pit his life had fallen into, and listened as he spoke of the endless issues tearing his family apart. Then, she simply showed him her wrists. Surrounded by police officers and onlookers, Liu shared her own story of a failed suicide attempt—calmly, firmly, without embellishment. When she finished, she leaned in, embraced the boy, and kissed him. In that moment, the boy realized maybe life was worth living after all. Liu had done what no one else thought of—she truly listened to him. That simple act of kindness was all it took to save his life.
8. The Suicide Reunion
In March 2005, 22-year-old Kevin Berthia climbed over the railings of the Golden Gate Bridge, preparing to end his life. What followed became legendary. For over an hour, Berthia hesitated on the edge as Highway Patrol Officer Kevin Briggs spoke to him, trying to talk him down. Amid the swirling rush hour traffic, the two held a quiet, intense conversation that ultimately led Berthia to climb back onto the bridge.
Most suicide stories end here: The person is saved, the hero is praised, and everyone moves on. But this story is different. Berthia never forgot the way Briggs helped him that cold Friday morning. In 2013, when the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention decided to honor Briggs for his dedication, Berthia was determined that no random stranger would present the award. Almost eight years after Briggs saved his life, Berthia not only publicly thanked him but also introduced him to his family—including the two children he wouldn’t have had if Briggs hadn’t intervened.
7. Woman’s Best Friend
Earlier this year, a 63-year-old woman from France decided she could no longer bear it. She took a rifle into her yard in the southern town of Sorgues, fired off a few test shots, and then aimed the gun at herself. She pulled the trigger.
Incredibly, the bullet missed her heart. This was remarkable not because she was a poor shot or it was a mere accident, but because her dog jumped onto the rifle at the exact moment she fired, saving her life. Somehow, the dog not only sensed what she was about to do but also knew exactly how to prevent it. According to reports, the dog stayed with the injured woman until her husband returned and called for help, refusing to leave her side until paramedics arrived and took her away. In a way, it was like a heartwarming scene from a Lassie story—except it was a million times more real.
6. Anonymous Saves A Suicidal Girl
What followed was a satisfyingly dark turn of events where Anonymous dug up the bullies’ personal information and threatened to expose them to the police, their parents, their principal, and any authority figure they could find. After a lot of pleading, the bullies were let off with just a warning—on the condition that they apologize to Kylie. Apologize they did, vowing to look after their victim from that moment on, forever. The best part? The deal was contingent on Kylie directly messaging the Anonymous group to let them know she was alright. Instead of seizing the moment for cruel vengeance, she rose above it, sending that message and looking absolutely amazing in the process.
5. The Suicide That Reunited A Family
In mid-2001, when Hanns Jones stepped off the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, he felt he had every reason to give up on life. Recently dumped by his girlfriend, his career was at a dead end, and his search for his father, which had lasted decades, had turned up nothing. But as he fell, he had an epiphany. If he ended it now, his son would have to face the same void he had—the loss of a father. So, instead of succumbing when he hit the water, Jones fought his way to safety, despite suffering a collapsed lung, broken neck, shattered ribs, and a ruptured spleen—all to make sure he could see his child again.
But that isn’t even the most amazing part. The truly incredible moment came two weeks later when Lynn-Marie Carty came across Jones’s suicide attempt story online. In particular, she noticed the part about his estranged father. And, as it turned out, Lynn-Marie Carty was remarkably skilled at locating missing people.
Within just six days of reading about Jones’s situation, she managed to track down his long-lost father and connected them. After decades of searching, Jones finally found his missing dad—all thanks to the kindness of someone who cared enough to dedicate a week of her life to help a stranger in pain.
4. The Angel Of The Gap
For five decades, Don Ritchie held the title of having one of the most unusual hobbies in Australia. While other men were perfecting their barbecuing skills or throwing boomerangs, Ritchie spent his time quietly sitting by his window. This might seem unremarkable, but Ritchie’s purpose was far from ordinary. His home overlooked a notorious suicide hotspot in Sydney, and he had made it his life’s mission to save as many jumpers as possible.
From 1964 until 2012, Don Ritchie vigilantly watched over the cliffs, often approaching anyone who appeared distressed and simply asking, “Can I help you in some way?” Remarkably, this calm and humble approach seemed to work. When he passed away last year, he was credited with saving at least 164 lives—an achievement usually reserved for war heroes or Superman. Some estimates suggest the actual number is much higher. Regardless, Ritchie's blend of unwavering resolve and gentle patience saved countless families from losing a loved one.
3. The Silent Heroes
These stories have mostly focused on particular individuals or groups of people who acted heroically in the face of tragedy. This one takes a different approach. It's about the countless anonymous, everyday people—the unremarkable yet incredible strangers and friends who make life truly meaningful.
Not long ago, I stumbled upon a thread on Reddit. What began as a casual question about what people contemplating suicide do on their final day soon transformed into a collection of some of the most heart-wrenching stories you could ever read.
Hundreds of individuals who had come close to ending their lives shared their stories of pain, abuse, and narrowly escaping death. Some of these tales are hard to read, but they all share one common thread—the people. Friends who recognized their struggles and offered support, family members who stood by them through the darkest moments, and strangers who appeared at the right moment to offer a ride home. These are stories of parents, siblings, and children who almost gave up, but in the end, found a reason to keep going, realizing that someone still cared. And that's the point of this article: There are always people who will miss you, no matter how bleak things might seem. There are always people willing to lend a hand, even when it feels like no one is. Reading the anonymous posts of these individuals is one of the most moving reminders of this truth.
2. Thousands Write To Save A Suicidal Boy
It’s a tragic reality that some people take their own lives at an alarmingly young age. Earlier this year, it seemed that Noah Brocklebank, at just 12 years old, was headed in that direction. He was being bullied at school and had begun self-harming. One day, he posted a picture of his cut-up wrists on Instagram with a message: 'Day of scheduled suicide, February 8th, 2013, my birthday.'
Anyone familiar with the internet knows that this is like daring bullies to strike. But instead of cruelty, something extraordinary happened. The Internet, instead of being harsh, responded with empathy. Over the course of the week, thousands of people who had never met Noah took the time to write him letters. By the day of his planned suicide, Noah had received 7,000 messages reminding him how valued and amazing he was. It turns out that sometimes, the Internet can indeed come together for something truly good.
1. Lifelong Friends
Few stories are as emotionally powerful as that of John Unger and his dog Schoep. About 19 years ago, Unger and his then-fiancée adopted Schoep, a rescue dog. When their relationship ended, Unger fell into a very dark place. One night, he was on the edge of taking his own life when Schoep somehow pulled him back from that precipice. He doesn't say exactly how, but what matters is that Unger felt he owed the dog his very life. Nine years later, he returned the favor.
In 2012, Schoep fell ill. His body was ravaged by painful arthritis, and it seemed like it was only a matter of time before he would have to be put down. Unger did everything in his power to help his companion, spending his meager income on pain medication and even carrying Schoep into Lake Superior each evening so the soothing water would ease his pain just enough for the dog to sleep. One day, he asked a photographer friend to capture what he thought were Schoep's final moments. With a heavy heart, he shared those photos online—and the world responded.
The story of this devoted dog touched people around the world, prompting a flood of donations to local vet clinics to help treat Schoep. With the generosity of strangers, the dog received the care he needed, and he and Unger were granted a few more precious months together, defying the odds and sticking it to death for a second time.
