This month I was going to dedicate Jason’s Jive to a situation that happened in Dallas, close to where I live. I will leave that for another month as I something else popped up. A co-worker (and friend) posted a congratulatory message on social media. I read through the brief write up and thread and then realised that the officer, in an act of bravery, helped save the life of a teenager in Annapolis.
The police officer, MT, a seven-year veteran of the Annapolis Department, was nominated for an Award by her Chief of Police and she received the Award recently. The incident that led to the Award took place in March 2021.
I reached out to MT who has been kind enough to share her story. Please read on…as narrated by a Police Officer and Mother. The location is Annapolis, Maryland.
“I was on my way to secondary work; I do secondary at the Eastport shopping center. While I was driving over the bridge, I observed this young girl climbing to the other side of the bridge and her bike on the ground.
Normally people stop right on the middle of the bridge to look at the beautiful water, boats etc, but it’s not normal to climb over the other side of the bridge where it’s not safe. I drove by her and immediately made a U Turn on the middle of the bridge, while I let my police dispatchers know of the situation and to send me back up.
I then approached the juvenile and immediately put my right arm under her right armpit to gain control over the juvenile. At this point she was only holding the bridge with the right hand and her right hip was on the ledge of the bridge.
The juvenile was under a lot of distress and crying. I asked her of what was going on, and she kept begging and repeatedly saying “ please just let me go”. She advised me that she has been depressed for couple of years now and that she didn’t have any reasons to live, she state that she takes medicine, but that the medication was not helping. She also stated that she was under a lot of stress and pressure because her father and siblings were in the military.
After couple of minutes of talking to her and attempting to convince her to come with me to the other side of the bridge, she finally gave in.
I remember saying to her that I have been depressed and stressed plenty of times, but that praying normally helps, I say can you just imagine how many people are going to suffer if you commit suicide.
I then related to her that I have a daughter of a similar age and that my daughter Emily actually looks a little like her. I then told her that I would die if my daughter would do something like that. I asked her, how she thinks that her mother will react if she commits suicide.
She started sobbing again, I literally started crying with her while begging her to “Please come to the other side of the bridge with me.” She then looked at me with her beautiful sad eyes and say “okay”. My heart dropped out of relief and joy, I remember saying “Thank You Lord”, I immediately carried her to the other side of the bridge “ the safe side” and sat her on the ground while holding her hands. At this point back up officers from Annapolis Police Department and AAC Police Department responded on scene, AAC Police Department took the juvenile to AACMC under an emergency evaluation. Her parents and siblings met her at the hospital.
At one point I thought that I was going to lose grip of her, as she pulled so I could let her go. I remember saying to her, you are not going anywhere. I said to her if I have to stay here with you all day I will, but I am not letting you go nowhere.
After officers took her to the hospital, I remember sitting in my car catching my breath, thanking God for helping convince this girl & crying. I then called my daughter.
I think that nowadays parents are putting too much pressure on their children. Pushing careers on them that they don’t want or forcing them to do what they think is the best thing for their kids while the kids have another agenda.
Kids are not trusting their parents to talk and express themselves. They then go to friends, friends that give them bad advice. As a parent I feel that you have to be open enough for them to trust you and come to you in case of an emergency or any situation.
We are living in a very stressful world as it is, between politics, Covid19 that has change everyone’s life and routine, not being able to go to school or hang with their friends like they were used too, and many other issues, So let’s not make it stressful at home.”
Thanks folks and see you next month. That’s the Jive!