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Despondent Man Stopped From Jumping Off Skyway

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TBO.com

Published: December 26, 2008

Updated: 12/26/2008 07:13 pm

A suicidal man on top of the Sunshine Skyway bridge told a St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue lieutenant today that it had been the worst Christmas ever, and the lieutenant offered sympathy and listened to what the man had to say, according to the agency.

After the man spent half an hour telling his woes to Lt. Brad Dykens and a Florida Highway Patrol sergeant, the investigators suggested he seek professional help, St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue Lt. Joel Granata said. The suicidal man agreed not to jump.

The incident began about 3:50 p.m., when units responded to a Mercury Grand Marquis stopped on top of the bridge in the northbound lane. The suicidal man was standing by the car, looking over the wall, a St. Petersburg Fire & Rescue news release states.

Dykens and a Florida Highway Patrol sergeant learned the man was upset about the holidays and was praying, according to the release. The sergeant and Dykens, a member of his agency's Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Team, spoke with the man and tried to talk him about of jumping from the bridge. It was "a spine chilling moment for me," Dykens said in the release.

The man has since been taken to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

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