A suicidal man in San Antonio, Texas stopped highway traffic for four hours last Saturday, as motorists gawked, heckled and took photos and videos of the incident. One woman, however, responded to the commotion by praying for the unidentified man who was planning to kill himself.
Grace Hernandez spotted the suicidal man atop the signboard that is approximately 30 feet above the highway. She felt the need to pray for him because of one reason -- the man's mother.
Hernandez told KSAT, "What mother wants to be told that their son has committed suicide?"
The woman proceeded to take out her Bible and began reading verses and praying for the distressed man. She also told reporters later that she previously witnessed a suicide last Easter and remembered what her pastor said.
"I was coming from church and I called my pastor," Hernandez relayed. "I said 'I can't believe it,' and he said, 'That's why. That's our mission -- is to pray,'"
A photo of Hernandez made its way on Twitter. A few hours later, the man came halfway down but the worst was not yet over.
As paramedics and members of the San Antonio Police Department's mental health unit tried to convince the man to step down from the signboard, Hernandez also said a prayer to the people who were working together to save his life.
She could hear, however, that some onlookers were calling out for the man to jump and said she felt sad about some people's reaction, "because we don't know what set him to do this," Hernandez said.
Police said that the suicidal man was "very agitated" due to a personal issue. His body language showed that he was ready to jump. He also had a knife with him, which he agreed to toss to the police.
Despite his struggles, the man appeared to be cooperative and talked with his rescuers. His daughter was also brought in to try to help him calm down. By 7 p.m., the suicidal man finally agreed to come down and was taken into police custody.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is open 24/7 for those in distress and in need of support for themselves or their loved-ones. Dial 1-800-273-8255 for help.
