Trucker saves woman from suicide attempt with warm embrace

A truck driver was able to prevent a woman’s suicide in Maryland last week by stopping his truck and offering his hand. 

The incident happened on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Stevensville just after 2 a.m. as 68-year-old truck driver Keith Watson was traveling west. 

According to the Star Democrat, Watson noticed vehicles traveling in the middle lane of the bridge despite a lane closure, and pulled over to help what he thought was a motorist in a disabled vehicle. When Watson stopped and got out of his semi truck, he saw a woman exit her car and walk towards the bridge guardrail, and that’s when he knew something wasn’t right. 

The woman then climbed over the guardrail, and Watson jumped into action. 

“I ran at her, asking her please not to jump,” Watson said. “Please, please don’t jump. I told her life is not that bad, think of the people who love you who will miss you,” he said.

The woman was crying as Watson reached out his hand to her. She eventually took his hand and he pulled her into a hug as they waited for police to arrive. The first responders then took the woman to a nearby hospital for treatment. 

Watson says the situation felt especially personal to him because he lost his brother to suicide. 

“If only I’d known, I could have helped him,” he said. “People need to know suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.”

Watson said he is sharing his experience “not so people would think I’m a hero,” he said, “because I’m not, but so we would all be more aware of what is going on around us. So many rode by without a second thought.”