Meet Kevin Hines. Out of the thousands of people who have jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge, he's part of the less than 1% who survived the mostly deadly jump.
The bridge is one of the most frequently used places in the world to die by suicide. Hines estimates that over 2,000 people have jumped to their death since its opening.
Here's the story of a man who jumped off San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge and lived to tell his story. He hopes that his emotional tale can inspire others to seek help.
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Growing up, Kevin had a difficult childhood as he bounced from home to home. He told BuzzFeed, "I was born on drugs and premature."
Eventually, he landed in the home of Patrick and Debi Hines and was on the mend with a better childhood.
At 17, he faced numerous mental health issues and began to crash and burn.
He told BuzzFeed, "I vividly remember writing my suicide note."
Hines rode a bus to the Golden Gate Bridge, got off, and started walking slowly down the walkway of the bridge.
He said, "People rode by me, drove by me, walked by me, and a woman approached me." She asked him to take her picture and walked away.
Right then, he thought...
"The reality was that, everybody cared, I just couldn't see it."
Kevin jumped from the bridge. After he jumped, he said he shared the same thoughts that other survivors had:
He told BuzzFeed, "In four seconds, I fell 75 miles an hour, 25 stories, and I hit the water. I was in the most physical pain I had ever experienced."
After the fall, the Coast Guard retrieved Kevin out of the water and took him to a local hospital.
In the hospital, he told Hines, "Dad, I'm sorry." He responded, "No, Kevin, I'm sorry."
Kevin's near suicide has left a mark on members of his family EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Hines told him that every time the phone rings, his first inclination is to ask, "Is Kevin alive?"
"I had that impact on my dad," he said.
Kevin is still being treated for mental illness, but now he has better coping mechanisms.
You are not alone.
And finally...
If you are thinking about suicide, talk to someone. You can speak to someone immediately here or by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
Learn more about Kevin's film project Suicide: The Ripple Effect here.
Your voice needs to be heard — share your story about suicide on The Ripple Effect's Facebook page.
Learn more about BuzzFeed's Mental Health Week.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/why-were-doing-mental-health-week#.vnAzxA7bY
