A crowd of rescuers and a few very worried onlookers helped rescue a man who was trying to jump off the Chesapeake Bay Bridge early Thursday morning.
"It was very touch-and-go for a while there," said Jason Hayes, a civilian who saw the man on the bridge railing and talked to him to try to keep him from jumping. "Very scary this morning."
"There were many times when he was facing outward," Hayes said.
Hayes was joined by Lt. Kevin Brenner of Queen Anne's County Fire Rescue, who was on his way to work. Brenner had a portable radio with him, and told the dispatch center that they needed extra help to prevent a suicide.
The two spoke to the man for more than 45 minutes while waiting for help to arrive with special equipment. Eventually, Anne Arundel County Fire Rescue Squad 23 used rope and rigging to lower a rescuer down to the man.
The rescuer gave the man a big hug, and they were both pulled to safety.
"That hug really ... actually, you can see it on the picture ... it was amazing to see the compassion from people who didn't know each other. It was something," Hayes said.
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Traffic on the eastbound span of the Bay Bridge was backed up for about 5 miles during the rescue and cleanup. The bridge is always busy close to a holiday weekend.
Brenner and Hayes are just relieved that they were able to rescue the man.
"It's great when you can help somebody, that we had a positive outcome," Brenner said. "That we were able to successfully rescue the individual and get him back onto the bridge and get him to the hospital and hopefully the help that he needs."
