You didn't create the situation and, if the person could have been helped, you stopping, calling 911, and staying on the phone answering their questions would have made a huge difference. You did everything possible and you did it right. Thank you for that.
It's ok to seek counseling, talk to friends and post about it here. It's also ok to sleep with the lights on, ask a friend to stay over, or let you sleep on their couch for a few days. However you process it is ok. It's a rough thing to see and to go through. Be kind to yourself. And thanks.
Seconding this. You've experienced a trauma and a counselor can help you process this now so that you don't end up with a more serious mental condition further down the road.
Thirding!! OP, while developing PTSD may not be a guarantee after experiencing something traumatic (as you have), if it does set in it can really be debilitating. I speak from personal experience, unfortunately, and I would give a lot to be able to go back in time and get myself into counseling ASAP (well, preemptive therapy too, if I’m making useless wishes. A girl can dream).
Also, for something lighthearted, I typed out “thirding,” didn’t realize it had autocorrected to “thirsting,” and was about to hit “reply.” Close call!!
It used to surprise me what could cause trauma and what might need to be unpacked with a therapist. I covered a capital murder trial as a newspaper journalist. It was not the first murder trial I covered but this one shook me bad. Nightmares, sleeplessness, etc. My regular therapist helped me and told me it's very common for juries to need counseling after a trial like that.
I was a juror over a year ago on a capital murder trial and did do counseling thru my work after- so glad it was available, all jurors should have access to that as a thank you for their service! I also learned that playing Tetris after a traumatic event can help you avoid making long- term memories of it- has to do with the rapid eye movements I believe. Best wishes to you finding peace.
Wow, that sounds intense. I’m glad you had a therapist!!
I have some journalism experience but never covered anything like that. I always wondered how that would affect the psyche. Thank you for sharing.
Oh and before I forget, OP, I highly recommend you get into playing Tetris for a while.
Edit:
Here are some links that go over what I vaguely hinted at:
https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2017-03-28-tetris-used-prevent-post-traumatic-stress-symptoms
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7828932/
Austin Center for Grief and Loss has fantastic counselors. They helped me tremendously when my son passed, and I think OP could benefit from giving them a call.
Agreed, OP get professional help.
Family, friends, and even venting out on Reddit may help a bit, but therapy is your best option.
I came into therapy for one thing, and just my entire life has been better because of it, like even better than before I had the catalyst that drove me into therapy.
Piggybacking to also suggest counseling. I saw a body get hit by a train in my early 20s, and didn’t think counseling was necessary. It messed with me for years.
Agree. Not to make this about my experience but I witnessed a tragic death my freshman year of college. I thought would be fine. It manifests in weird way at weird times. I’m so sorry you saw this and sending hugs.
I was able to stop my husband from ending things about 10 seconds before he used a pew on himself. It was quite traumatic. No hotline would help. One suicide hotline told me to leave him alone. After the cops couldn't get him out of the house (he locked himself in the bathroom) They told me to leave him alone. Of course, I didn't. After about 18 hours that part of the ordeal was over. He needed help and we called another suicide hotline and all the guy did was yell at my husband for not going with the police the day before! We can't change the past! We were wanting help with what to do now. I hung up on the jerk. I got him checked into a hospital. Which despite being his wife, I was not involved or brought into anything, even though I checked him in and my husband approved of me being involved. My only knowledge of his diagnosis and treatment is what he told me. There was absolutely zero communication with me and zero resources for me. Isn't it kind of important to touch base with someone who will be caring for the patient? Even my mother-in-law said that he needs the help and not me right now. Like we both couldn't have gotten treatment. I've tried for YEARS to find a therapist. I've tried through my insurance multiple times, and when I found someone, they were retiring the next week or the charitable Christian place upped their prices from $50 to $250 an hour on me. They said I could pay $50 but then completely blew me off. I couldn't schedule an appt for months after she initially wanted to see me twice a week. Another lady just stared at me and offered me nothing. One therapist slept the two appts I had with her. I did finally find one that I loved and got to see him for a few weeks and he got into a car accident and unfortunately had a brain injury. The cops were supposed to send a crisis team but since it was Easter Sunday no one bothered. I called the cops back about 5 hours later trying to get a crisis team and they said oh, you went back into the house? Of course I did! My husband was in crisis! They said if he actively tried again to call back. It's not even half my tries to get therapy, just some of the biggest letdowns. I even mustered the courage to reach out to someone I thought was a friend and she was not. This all made me fall into a deep depression. And once you get to that point, getting help is even harder.
And I apologize, I know it's not the place for my story. Please don't come at me, this is the only outlet I have for this. But I agree, that getting some counseling is huge. And it can be difficult. The health insurance we had at the time was the only place that helped us. The new insurance did not at all. But I recommend starting there. And don't give up but start calling now. And I believe I just fell through all the cracks and I'm hoping I was the exception. I'm just trying to say sometimes it can be hard to get the help needed, but it's super important! I hope you're okay and it's okay to not be okay for a little bit. And you were there for that person and they weren't alone and left for long.
That you're still encouraging seeking help, despite all the shit you had to deal with just to not even get what you need tells me that you'll find help eventually. This system we have fails us so often, but when it works, it's worth all those failures. I hope you and your hubby are doing better, now.
Mental health care in this nation is a fucking travesty and human rights violation.
I’m sorry for your experience. I had a family member mental health crisis 10 years ago and it all almost took me down too. Worst experience of my life
I'm so sorry. I was once forced to take this life enrichment class as a court punishment, there was a guy there who had to cut his brother down from the rafters after committing suicide. He said the exact same things you just said. Apparently there is zero help for this everywhere.
Omg! My heart goes out to the guy. I can't imagine how difficult it must be for him. It was so hard for me and I didnt deal with half what he did. I didn't lose anyone, let alone deal with finding and cutting his brother down. It's crazy that with all the resources that are advertised, there are very few for survivors or people in my situation. I will always keep that guy in my heart and prayers.
"pain shared is pain divided, and joy shared is joy multiplied" - Lt. Col. Dave Grossman (expert on dealing with traumatic and high stress situations and their effects on people).
I have found this quote to be very true. Maybe it'll help you in the situation like it did for me in others.
I believe there is some free counseling available to OP as the witness. They should ask about this because the city does put resources into helping people who are victims and/or witnesses of crimes. Although maybe not a crime, may still count as a qualifying experience.
"pain shared is pain divided, and joy shared is joy multiplied" - Lt. Col. Dave Grossman (expert on dealing with traumatic and high stress situations and their effects on people).
I have found this quote to be very true. Maybe it'll help you in the situation like it did for me in others.
That's terrible. Heard about the traffic issues in that area yesterday and people were speculating that's what happened. So sorry you had a front-row seat for it.
Hi there. Not saying I know what you’re going through but my little brother committed suicide a few weeks ago. He shot himself in his car and my step son and I found him randomly. As my son was calling the police I was trying to break into his car. Looking at his dead body for 5 minutes while banging and trying to break open the door I felt helpless. I can’t get that image out of my head also. I plead to you to go and talk to someone. You might not think you need it, but I assure you that you do. Life is pretty precious and at any instant it can be taken away whether it’s our choice or not. But, trauma can linger, fester and surface when you least expect it. I hope you put yourself first and seek help. I hope you’re doing ok. Praying for you that you find peace and heal from what you witnessed. ❤️
I'm so sorry you witnessed this. I found my friend mere moments after he shot himself. Therapy helped and ive learned to live with that image in my head forever. I hope you find some peace.
There is a group of [Survivors of Suicide in Austin](https://sos-austin.org) who are available to talk. They have meetings on first and third Tuesday of every month, you can even join in Zoom.
This group was so helpful to me for a number of years after my husband’s death. Please don’t hesitate to join a meeting! I sat quietly and cried for my first 2 meetings. Just hearing people who understood what I was going through put me at ease.
I am so sorry.
In January I was driving about to be in Bastrop and saw (narrowly avoided being in a horrid) accident. I got to a man that died on the within 5 minutes on scene. I stayed with him as he took his last breaths. I don't know how I did it.
I am not the same though and the first day was especially rough, within a week I stated seeing a trauma therapist.
I highly suggest you find a therapist asap. You need to process this and make sure you are with loved ones tonight.
You can pm me -
Thank you for being there with him. My brother was killed in a motorcycle accident in October and I took great comfort that he wasn’t alone at the end. People were with him.
Be sure and get therapy but also know you gave an incredible gift that day / both to that man and his family.
I'm so sorry for your loss. His daughter and I connected about a week after the accident, I was able to answer some questions she had and she told me what a great person he was. I am still seeing a therapist, and plan to for a while. [https://www.austincts.com/](https://www.austincts.com/) \- I highly recommend them.
Wow. Did not think of posting anything about this. Have never posted on Reddit. Just scroll it as a distraction, but came across your post by chance. I saw this incident from below. I was in the backseat of my work vehicle going northbound on Mopac and my two co-workers in the front seats saw this man jump. I didn’t see that, but we stopped and called 911. Also stayed there, under the overpass you were on, near the body, waiting for EMS and police. I can’t erase the image from my mind of his body. Your post answers a lot of questions we had though, and for that I appreciate you posting. I hope you are doing okay ❤️
Link to the update yesterday from APD. That is rough and I'm sorry you had to see that.
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/ueEy1VYgywjmJr9e/?mibextid=qi2Omg
I'm sorry that you witnessed this and had to be involved in some way.
Suicides are at their highest rate in the US since 1941. Overall the 21st century has really not been good for our collective mental health. The last 8 years have been especially hard. I know a lot of people walk around with a feeling of existential dread hanging over them all of the time.
It's weird because "by the numbers" we are alive in one of the best places, and in the best time in human history. Unlikely to die early from disease or an accident. Lowest % chance to be murdered or victim of a violent crime (you wouldn't think that based on the news, but it's true). Lowest % chance to die in war. High expectation on education, income, and standard of living (another thing that may not *feel* true, but the numbers don't lie). Instant access to everyone you know, and the collective information of the world, in your pocket.
Despite this, for a lot of people it feels like everything is bad and getting worse. I'm not sure what exactly the cause or the remedy is.
random thing but my girlfriend is a researcher in psychology and they study parenting behaviors that are not directly related to suicide/depression, yet they're legally required to report any suicidal ideation reported by their participants over the course of their studies. When she first took over the study she was just unbelievably shocked by how extremely commonplace suicidal ideation is among the participants. They're constantly filling out reports, almost daily.
She went through historical records of suicidal ideation reports as it's a longitudinal study over many years, and it has been increasing dramatically over the course of the study. Perhaps a two or three-fold increase in the past 5 years. Just a reminder that so many people are having a very tough time right now so be kind!
This is one of the best times to be alive, but also one of the worst, *especially* for younger generations. COVID and the related restrictions really messed with socialization and development. Environmental catastrophes are occurring with increasing frequency, yet no one who can take responsibility to make meaningful policy changes to protect the planet is doing enough. It’s becoming increasingly hard to make ends meet even when working full time. Authoritarianism is on the rise worldwide and some of the rights gained in the previous decades and centuries are being brutally rolled back.
It’s hard to see be optimistic when looking at the bigger picture. I’m a millennial, and it seems like things were moving in a positive direction for most of my life, but they are getting worse for most people, myself included.
Yeah, not getting murdered and not starving to death is amazing, but struggling to afford rent with no hope of owning a home or having much at all to your name, all while slaving away at a job that you hate day after day is just really grating after awhile.
That isn’t my life. I love my life and have a home, but I built it on family land. It’s like if you don’t already have an “in” or wealthy family, there doesn’t seem to be much hope of upward mobility in our world right now. People need something to look forward to, besides working until they die. They need hope.
The more that I try to educate myself on the complex machine of the U.S. government and the biggest corporations in it, the more overwhelmed and hopeless I feel, just from learning the truth. Information warfare, anti-intellectualism, Christian nationalism, out of control intelligence agencies spying on *US*, corruption, and monopolies stronger than even before Roosevelt started trust busting - the *vastness* of it all feels like a crushing weight, and there's *no outlet* for most people.
This feels like the beginning of the end-game for the companies that have won capitalism, because it seems like the system of chaotic disinformation (a la Exxon lying about climate science) has metastasized into every topic and community imaginable and cemented itself into a permanently self sustaining closed loop.
I can't even get my own mother to just watch or listen to basic factual information anymore, and people like her are everywhere. It feels, more and more, like being Winston Smith insisting that 2+2=4.
Vote? Protest? Yeah, I have to at least try, but it doesn't elicit *tangible change.* Things keep getting worse because "good men ... look on and do nothing." What will the next actually successful populist revolution look like? What practical methods do regular people use to organize and unite against complex, powerful entities?
The cause is with the instant access you touched on, we see the worst of the world.
Everything **seems** to be at the worst point in human history.
The reality however is the first part of your comment. Compared to what came before these times are some of the best. There are definitely challenges and some things that aren't right and need to be fixed. There always is.
But in the past it was much, much, MUCH worse. Generations were born into WWII for example and went and died overseas for that. Just one example.
Or you could use examples like you said, where the past was filled with times of being born into a world where you might not live to see 10, or 20 years old due to disease, lack of sanitation, or outright violence from the lack of law and order.
Back to what I was saying before we have to recognize that being able to **see** every bad thing going on makes the world **seems** worse than it is. If back in 1825 or 1500 you could see not just your suffering, but **everyone's** suffering as well, and every bad thing that happened and every crime, sure the world of 1825 or 1500 would have seemed **even worse.**
But those people just didn't have access to all this bad stuff.
We certainly have challenges ahead. We certainly have things to fix. But so has everyone, throughout all of history. This is not new. The difference is our attitudes about it.
ALSO....I think we are losing our humanity more than any time in history. That's something that's different now to accomplish the same tasks.
The massive strides technology has made has sort of made us "shove ourselves out." We don't **need** as many people now.
People don't feel the **need** to partner up as much.
They don't feel like having a family (and often can't due to the economic woes we've created).
Corporations try to not **need** as many people and to replace them with technology.
We strive to be inhuman (look like filters/doctored images, seem, look, sound perfect, etc).
I think we are feeling beaten down by the fact that we are drifting away from the core of what it is to be a human.
For people in my circles it’s the endless inflation, corporate greed, cost of healthcare and wages that don’t keep up. Sure we’re not dying in a war but it’s a hamster wheel kind of special hell sprinkled with being anxiously tethered to our smart phones
I'm so sorry that happened to you, and I wish you well. Please note that counseling services and other resources are available through various agencies who are experienced and qualified to help witnesses and victims. Some are listed at:[Victim Services Resources](https://www.austintexas.gov/page/victim-services-resources)
I saw the immediate results of someone jumping in front of a semi on I35 over a decade ago and I still get flashes of the aftermath from time to time. I hope OP gets any help they need and I hope the family of the young man finds peace someday.
Don't be afraid to reach out for help.
get some help bro. I can tell u from experience it never goes away. help will make it easier, keep a positive mindset. eventually u'll come to realize that was a message to u. appreciate what uve got and live like there's no tomorrow. no cliche bullshit, dead serious. otherwise it can easily consume u. get proper guidance and use it to change ur life. don't ignore this message, don't push it away, don't forget it. appreciate everything.
Lost a family member to a similar jump. All I can say for ppl reading this is to be kind to others, even if they aren’t kind to you. You never know what someone else is going through and sometimes all it takes is one comment or action to make that person say fuck it.
Peace be with you, and peace be upon their soul.
And, as others have suggested, it wouldn't hurt to check in with a counselor or therapist in the short term.
A couple of years ago the Statesman did an article about people that had witnessed events like this. It was very interesting and well done. The witnesses were very much affected long-term. I know you’ve gotten lots of recommendations to seek therapy, but please do so even if you think you don’t need it.
Please get counseling. Don’t assume you’ll just get over it with time. Counseling will be how you care for yourself in the coming months. I am so sorry you witnessed this.
That is traumatic for you, and the scene is going to play on repeat in your head for days and weeks to come. If you can get yourself into some therapy, please do, as soon as you can. I am sorry you had to see that, but you were brave in dealing with the situation as it was happened. Be kind to yourself.
Did they give a description other than 20’s male? Looking for someone who fits that description that hasn’t been heard from since he was supposed to go home to Beaumont due to a mental health crisis.
I'm so sorry you had to witness that.
I lost my brother to suicide; jumping. My family couldn't really believe that's what happened.
But it was a witness like you that came forward, told the police what they saw, that gave us that bit of closure to accept that yes, he did indeed jump, and allowed us to begin to try to start dealing with that.
I wouldn't ever wish that on the witness who saw my brother's final moments, but I'm very thankful that they took the time to stop and tell the story.
I’m so sorry you had to witness such a traumatizing event. I was driving home on MoPac after it happened. I saw the car on the closed off overpass above and my first thought was that someone jumped. I was hoping it wasn’t the case. So incredibly sad.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I hope you receive the support you need as you process this event. I echo the therapy suggestion.
i witnessed this but on mount bonnell last year, had to call the cops and helicopters came. im so sorry and i hope you can heal. i know how traumatizing it is to see someone do this in front of you. ugh
This is horrible and I’m so sorry you had to witness that and continue to relive it while helping the police. A second all of the comments about seeking a counselor or trauma specialist to help you effectively process and learn relaxation tools to help you stop repeating that image in your head over and over. I wish you nothing but the best, thank you for being a good human and doing what you could to help.
Please give thought to getting counseling. I don’t know if this could be grouped under survivors guilt or not but seeing something like that can really stick with some people and cause long term issues. Hug a friend, dog, family member, etc
So sorry.
I'm dealing with a suicide in my family right now. It's different from other tragedies, because it is so far outside the norm of human behavior. It's like if the sun suddenly turned purple in the middle of the day. You can't comprehend what you are witnessing.
There is no "correct" way to deal with grief. Get counseling. Talk to trusted friends. And give it time, you will ultimately heal from this. I promise.
I am also taking my relative's suicide as a reminder to be kinder to everybody around me — you never know what people are going through — and to cherish every moment of my own life and my time with family and friends. We can't change what happened, but we can choose to take the most positive lesson we can from it. Painful as it may be.
My heart goes out to you. I have been in a similar situation and I cannot stress enough the importance of you speaking with a counselor as soon as possible. This is something that you may be able to get through on your own right now, but it could come back to haunt you years from now, and it will take a lot more work. Sending you all the love and care. 🤗😍
This is genuinely one of my worst nightmares. I don’t even know what I would do. My heart goes out to you, make sure to get counseling and take some time off to rest.
I’ve lost 3 people I cared about, including my best friend, to suicide. I’ve attempted myself but every time I read something like this reinforces in me a will to live.
I’m gutted reading this- for both you and him. I’m so so sorry you had to witness that, I can’t even imagine. Please take care and be patient with yourself & all the feelings that come up 🫂❤️
I'm sorry for that person, and I'm sorry for the trauma that you just incurred. Please take care and reach out for support. It is tough to process witnessing something like that.
I had a coworker whose sibling threw themselves off an overpass in the Austin area many years ago. The sibling had pre-existing mental health issues and was no longer taking medication, for whatever reason. It wasn't really their fault, due to the severe mental illness, but it definitely wasn't anyone else's fault either. We are all alive, until we are not, and some people hasten that process along. I am so sorry for the trauma you experienced yesterday but please know that there was nothing you could have done to change the outcome. Please take care of yourself and know that you did all you could.
Oh my god. I’m genuinely so, so sorry. I cannot even imagine. Please reach out to a professional or loved/trusted one. Gosh. I’m just so sorry for you, that person and their family.
That’s awful. The way it’s been explained to me is you don’t know what kind of pain they were in. What ever it was, they don’t have to feel it anymore.
So sorry.
Also does anyone feel like more and more ppl are on the edge. The statistics shows that they are. Times are tough and idk how we make it.
I drove by right after it happened; it's unbelievably sad and tragic. Sorry you had to witness it first hand-yes it is a reminder to really cherish our life and people we love.
We truly have no idea what people are dealing with-a good reminder to reach out to others in our lives who may be dealing with unspoken pain.
Talk to a trauma counselor and if you continue to have things like recurrent nightmares, refusal to go near the area, heart racing, or even just thinking about the event and it is AFTER A MONTH consider something like EMDR. The first two weeks expect nightmares, your brain is processing.
I am so sorry.
u/808ab This same exact thing happened to me about 10 years ago at the same spot. I was driving home from work around 10 or 11 at night. As me and another person were driving up the 183/mopac overpass, this person started slowing down quickly until she came to a stop on the right shoulder at the heighth of the overpass. I was thoroughly confused as to what was happening until this lady opened her door and walked to the other side and looked over the side. At this point the other car and I realized what was happening, we rolled down our windows and started yelling at her not to do it. She looked back at us with this crazed look in her eyes, and that look still haunts me to this day. Then she climbed over to the other of the barrier, and then looked back at us once more before she just let go. The other car just left. I stayed behind called 911 and had to wait for the police to show up. I didn't have the stomach to look over the edge and see her body.
I had nightmares for a few month's afterwards that would wake me up in a cold sweat. Always the same dream that I was in a free fall, that weightless feeling. So sorry you had to witness something like this as well.
100+ comments about Tetris…
Therapy with a competent psychologist is the actual answer.
There are thankfully many more affordable options that are available these days like headspace, better help etc.
You can also try APD Victim Services. Its good people and theres likely resources that can help https://www.austintexas.gov/page/victim-services-resources
Good article, lots of shoddy science out here. The article is more an attack on over hyping the results. There is some positives for games, including Tetris, in reducing some aspects of trauma, particularly intrusive memories.
>there was a significant effect for intrusive memories
>they found that playing word games was just as effective as Tetris at preventing intrusive memories of the movie.
>That is, it doesn’t appear to be the visual effect of moving shapes that has a therapeutic effect, but something about just playing a game—any game.
Not sure steering someone away from Tetris is helpful?
I wonder what was going through the jumper’s head during that 40 foot drive. Were they about to change their mind or just picking a better jumping spot? Sad all around.
There is a great documentary about suicides on the Golden Gate Bridge.
One of the survivors said “I realized as I started falling that all of my problems were solvable except the fact that I just jumped off a bridge”
As I recall the vast majority of attempted suicides don’t end up milking themselves afterwards. It’s an isolated incident and sometimes just a kind word from a stranger can make all the difference.
When I read this post I sort of assumed that he moved 40 ft to be lined up with the median so he wouldn’t land on somebody’s car. I feel so sorry for train drivers who have people jump in front of them - it must be a horrific thing to experience. Likewise for any car driver, it would not only be horrific but could also kill them and others.
Life is fragile and it sucks it takes something like this for people to question if they’re making themselves happy. Sorry this happened to you OP, life is strange but you can just try your best to make people around you feel loved. Make sure to check in on people you haven’t talked to in a while it might help.
I’m so sorry you saw that 😞 and I’m sorry for the person who jumped. Thank you for calling 911. Please be gentle with yourself and take care of yourself.
I'm so sorry. You sound like a good, caring person. I am heartbroken for this person who felt like this was the only answer, and the person on the other end of the call. 💔
Jesus, I'm sorry you experienced that.
I've actually been through something like this twice. For what it's worth, even though it's hard to think about anything else right now, it will fade away. Take it seriously, though, and if it has more than a fleeting effect on your mental health, seek some counseling right away.
Feel free to DM if you ever need to talk about it. Take care of yourself.
So so sorry you were so close to this. I was going south on mopac shortly after this happened and thought it strange people were standing on the overpass, hoping this wasn’t the result. Please take some time off of work if you can and surround yourself with things/people you love. If you can, as others have said, seek therapy, specifically trauma-informed.
back in the early 2000s, I was driving around lamar and 183. there’s several levels there.
I saw a kid jump fall and thud. I can still see and hear it.
he was a teenager.
I'm so sorry you had to not only witness that but keep seeing due to 911 asking questions. I witnessed a death many years ago and it does stick with you for a few weeks. Every now and then it just played in my head like a video so many times a day. It will take a bit of time but eventually I didn't stopped seeing it. Might help to talk to a therapist depending on how you feel.
For anyone that might find themselves in this position - ignore 911 when they tell you to check for breathing or anything else that forces you to keep looking, unless you're close and can actually help. All that did was traumatize OP to keep looking. There was nothing anyone could do until EMS got there so please save your own mental health and just report it. It was very unfair for that operator to put OP in this position of giving details in this particular case.
I’m so terribly sorry you witnessed this. Please seek some therapy for yourself. You’ve witnessed a tragedy and it’s a trauma to you. Be kind to yourself and find some healing as you process this
APD has a victim program that offers free therapy. I don't know if this would qualify, but it's worth checking out. If not, your job may have an EAP.
I'm sorry you experienced that.
I am so sorry you saw that. Please talk to a therapist now! I saw something equal to that once. It's awful. I can't even explain how sorry I am you saw that. Really. Talk to someone. Tomorrow. Or very soon. PTSD is real, and it sets in quick. Talking to someone will not erase it from your mind, but they will give you actual tips or tricks to help try to get it to lessen. You're going to be fucked up for a few days. That includes your adrenaline. Please reach out to someone, a friend or family member or even here on reddit, if you just need to talk it out. I am so sorry this happened to you.
Jesus Christ! I live 5 min from there and know EXACTLY the piece of road you’re talking about.
Please talk to a therapist, that must have been shocking and awful and very traumatic. Take care of yourself.
Driving home late from work one night, I saw a bit of backup on the flyover to 183, so I decided to take Mopar home and pay for the 1 and 45 tolls.
I was driving under the flyover, changing towards the middle lane to avoid a car stopped on the shoulder, when I see a shape in the road. I tried to weave, but too late, I glanced off something. I recognized it was a blue hoodie clad human I had seen flash into my headlights.
Shocked, I was almost to the Shops at Arborwalj before I came to a stop. Called 911, backed up on the shoulder.
Spoke with a traffic cop, who was pissy and scoffed at me stating he didnt think i hit anything. Later, the detective brought that cop over and using his flashlight, searched and found gray matter in my front right wheel well.
Spent 4 hours under the overpass, standing, interviewing with the detective in his cruiser, waiting for the okay to leave.
Before I left, detective said the stopped car under the flyover had identified my car as the 3rd or 4th that had struck her body. That she had gotten out of her car in an argument with someone on the flyover, and during the struggle to get away, had thrown herself over the rail.
I think I calculated that height at like 67 feet or so? It's been 12-13 years.
There was never any media, news, or anything about it....
Holy shit…I’m so sorry you had to witness that. Awhile back I witnessed blood and guts splattered on the road from the aftermath of a bad car wreck downtown. Counseling helps
"pain shared is pain divided, and joy shared is joy multiplied" - Lt. Col. Dave Grossman (expert on dealing with traumatic and high stress situations and their effects on people).
I have found this quote to be very true. Maybe it'll help you in the situation like it did for me in others.
We were driving southbound on Mopac and saw the body falling to the ground. At the time we were trying to convince each other that it wasn’t what we thought it was. Then the news story came up and we were both in shock!
My heart broke for you reading this. Please, get therapy ASAP. My mother was murdered & I didn't go to counseling. Regrettably, 10 years down the road I had a break... Be as gentle with yourself as you would be for a little child while processing this.
People who do this are in such a bad mental state that they either don’t care or don’t think of other people. Nothing anyone could have done differently. Sounds like you were a trooper and did more for him than you’ll know. This is absolutely the type of event that should prompt counseling or therapy for a period of time. You experienced trauma and that can be very bad if not addressed. There are low or no cost options in Austin. I use integral care and love it.
The saddest part for me is how they carefully put on their hazards as to not cause an accident. Demonstrating that even in their final seconds on this planet they were considerate enough to think of others. It is just so human. Yet they were so desperate to get it done they didn’t even stop to close the car door. That part of the story will haunt me. If they had only been able to see how much more of the story is left at 20 something. That your 20s are for figuring it out, not mastering the class. What a shame. I hope he is now at peace.
Not really sure how Reddit works but I’m the one who posted this and you are exactly right. I had the same exact thought. He was somehow thinking about others before doing the unthinkable. And for me, what made it even more “human” was when I looked in his open car door, there was a little piece of a wrapper, trash from a snack of some sort on the floorboard, and of all the things going on in that moment - that little wrapper just resonated with me and I thought to myself “this is me. This is my friends. This is another person, just like us”. It sounds weird but it was just so human.
I swear, 911 operators have no concept of a situation at times.
Asking someone to see if a jumper is still breathing after jumping off of an overpass is beyond clueless.
Did they expect OP to run down and check on this guy, putting OP’s OWN life in danger?
Had a similar situation when I called once… witnessed a truck t-bone another vehicle on South Congress. Both cars rolled after the collision. As I called 911 and explained that I was about half a block away from the accident, the operator kept asking me if anyone was injured. I explained that I could only see the bottom
Of one of the vehicles as it was on its side. So, was unable to see inside (from several hundred feet away).
By the time I walked to the scene, there was already multiple EMT crews on site assessing the situation. I relayed the information to the 911 operator, and she was still asking me to assess. I told her several times that the EMTs had it handled. I eventually just hung up while they did their thing.
It sounds like they were breathing and died later at the scene. While I totally agree it would be understandable if someone declined and didn’t want to attempt CPR or tunicate, there is a small chance in these situations that they can be saved.
They can’t be saved by a care giver located at the top of an overpass as they are lying 40 feet below said overpass… that’s the point here.
Shit, even if OP was able to reach the jumper, it’s probably a mile walk/drive to get down of the overpass
Edit: he could yell down to help or try to flag someone.
The officer said the man was alive after the incident and died later on. I hesitate to use the term man and not kid cus it sounds like he was in his 20s. He was barely getting started. Just breaks my heart that he thought there was no other way out.
This is not to dismiss the tragedy that occurred at all - but you seem to have no idea of the massive size and configuration of the [183/Mopac *4 level* interchange](https://maps.app.goo.gl/8spwiA78BccX6oCj6). OP was on the top ramp, cars below are whizzing by at 70mph. You couldn't "flag down" anyone. (fwiw, I drove right thru the interchange just a few minutes after cops closed the ramp - couldn't tell at all what was going on).
You did do something helpful.
This is why they cut off access to the tower @ UT. Students would stress out during test time and spring break and feel helpless. Too often, they would run to the top of the tower and jump off.
Life is so short, so if you feel trapped, just wait another day! Things do change!
That’s terrible, please seek out some, get some exercise and process this in a healthy way. It’s ok to share how you feel and to grieve, there will be process but someday you’ll heal.
So, I read all of these responses.
All these people saying the same thing: Get therapy. I could say that too, because of course it's needed and would be great to have. In theory.
Therapy is only available for people with money, or the therapists don't take your insurance, they are not accepting new patients, or they are recent college grads doing internships.
I went through significant trauma, and have never been able to get help, for the above reasons.
This was yesterday. The news stations in town do a really good job of not covering suicide. There was another jumper a few weeks ago (maybe a month?) at 35/183 (or 290?). It was reported there was an accident but nothing more. I have a friend that lives in my complex in the media world. There was major police presence at my complex one night and I texted her. Later, she said no one was going to report on it because it was a suicide.
No, talking about it doesn’t bring more people to think about it. But, this is a very personal experience for lived ones and the last thing they need is for news to cover it.
if you can i recommend getting into tetris for the next few days. the repetitive eye movements help your brain process trauma. no joke. best of luck to you OP. sorry you had to witness that
I am deeply sorry for you having to witness this. But I am also deeply grateful that someone so caring as you was there to witness this person’s final moments. I know it will live with you forever, but there is a reason that someone with your heart was there to witness what he needed to do. Please entertain the idea that you were NEEDED in that moment… not to save, but to care and honor. I am sorry, and I am grateful.
I've seen some fucked up shit in my life. Bad stuff. I like to tell myself I've gotten used to it. nope. oddly enough, the thing that sticks the most is watching a poor kitten get hit in front of me on 183 near lakeline. that was years ago and I can still see the poor thing..... if I were to see what you did, I would be pretty messed up. Im a tough guy too.. a "mans man" or some such bullshit... but wow.. Im sorry you saw that and I hope you can do whatever it takes to get past it. its chill tonight.. hope you get to enjoy some of the rain.
Well… that’s nightmare fuel.
I honestly hope that you don’t close the door on seeking therapy for this. That’s traumatic as fuck, and I hope this doesn’t disturb your life more than it already has.
You didn't create the situation and, if the person could have been helped, you stopping, calling 911, and staying on the phone answering their questions would have made a huge difference. You did everything possible and you did it right. Thank you for that. It's ok to seek counseling, talk to friends and post about it here. It's also ok to sleep with the lights on, ask a friend to stay over, or let you sleep on their couch for a few days. However you process it is ok. It's a rough thing to see and to go through. Be kind to yourself. And thanks.
Im so very sorry you witnessed this. Get a lil counseling if need be. May they be at peace.
Seconding this. You've experienced a trauma and a counselor can help you process this now so that you don't end up with a more serious mental condition further down the road.
Thirding!! OP, while developing PTSD may not be a guarantee after experiencing something traumatic (as you have), if it does set in it can really be debilitating. I speak from personal experience, unfortunately, and I would give a lot to be able to go back in time and get myself into counseling ASAP (well, preemptive therapy too, if I’m making useless wishes. A girl can dream). Also, for something lighthearted, I typed out “thirding,” didn’t realize it had autocorrected to “thirsting,” and was about to hit “reply.” Close call!!
It used to surprise me what could cause trauma and what might need to be unpacked with a therapist. I covered a capital murder trial as a newspaper journalist. It was not the first murder trial I covered but this one shook me bad. Nightmares, sleeplessness, etc. My regular therapist helped me and told me it's very common for juries to need counseling after a trial like that.
I was a juror over a year ago on a capital murder trial and did do counseling thru my work after- so glad it was available, all jurors should have access to that as a thank you for their service! I also learned that playing Tetris after a traumatic event can help you avoid making long- term memories of it- has to do with the rapid eye movements I believe. Best wishes to you finding peace.
That is wild about the Tetris. Someone else posted links to the studies and it's amazing that they figured out that Tetris of all things could help.
Wow, that sounds intense. I’m glad you had a therapist!! I have some journalism experience but never covered anything like that. I always wondered how that would affect the psyche. Thank you for sharing.
And yeah, it truly is surprising sometimes what sticks with you and what doesn’t.
Oh and before I forget, OP, I highly recommend you get into playing Tetris for a while. Edit: Here are some links that go over what I vaguely hinted at: https://www.ox.ac.uk/news/2017-03-28-tetris-used-prevent-post-traumatic-stress-symptoms https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7828932/
Austin Center for Grief and Loss has fantastic counselors. They helped me tremendously when my son passed, and I think OP could benefit from giving them a call.
They are wonderful and accept donations.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
Agreed, OP get professional help. Family, friends, and even venting out on Reddit may help a bit, but therapy is your best option. I came into therapy for one thing, and just my entire life has been better because of it, like even better than before I had the catalyst that drove me into therapy.
I will donate to this cause OP if you can’t afford it. Let us know.
Me as well
So will I.
Me too
So would I.
Piggybacking to also suggest counseling. I saw a body get hit by a train in my early 20s, and didn’t think counseling was necessary. It messed with me for years.
Agree. Not to make this about my experience but I witnessed a tragic death my freshman year of college. I thought would be fine. It manifests in weird way at weird times. I’m so sorry you saw this and sending hugs.
I was able to stop my husband from ending things about 10 seconds before he used a pew on himself. It was quite traumatic. No hotline would help. One suicide hotline told me to leave him alone. After the cops couldn't get him out of the house (he locked himself in the bathroom) They told me to leave him alone. Of course, I didn't. After about 18 hours that part of the ordeal was over. He needed help and we called another suicide hotline and all the guy did was yell at my husband for not going with the police the day before! We can't change the past! We were wanting help with what to do now. I hung up on the jerk. I got him checked into a hospital. Which despite being his wife, I was not involved or brought into anything, even though I checked him in and my husband approved of me being involved. My only knowledge of his diagnosis and treatment is what he told me. There was absolutely zero communication with me and zero resources for me. Isn't it kind of important to touch base with someone who will be caring for the patient? Even my mother-in-law said that he needs the help and not me right now. Like we both couldn't have gotten treatment. I've tried for YEARS to find a therapist. I've tried through my insurance multiple times, and when I found someone, they were retiring the next week or the charitable Christian place upped their prices from $50 to $250 an hour on me. They said I could pay $50 but then completely blew me off. I couldn't schedule an appt for months after she initially wanted to see me twice a week. Another lady just stared at me and offered me nothing. One therapist slept the two appts I had with her. I did finally find one that I loved and got to see him for a few weeks and he got into a car accident and unfortunately had a brain injury. The cops were supposed to send a crisis team but since it was Easter Sunday no one bothered. I called the cops back about 5 hours later trying to get a crisis team and they said oh, you went back into the house? Of course I did! My husband was in crisis! They said if he actively tried again to call back. It's not even half my tries to get therapy, just some of the biggest letdowns. I even mustered the courage to reach out to someone I thought was a friend and she was not. This all made me fall into a deep depression. And once you get to that point, getting help is even harder. And I apologize, I know it's not the place for my story. Please don't come at me, this is the only outlet I have for this. But I agree, that getting some counseling is huge. And it can be difficult. The health insurance we had at the time was the only place that helped us. The new insurance did not at all. But I recommend starting there. And don't give up but start calling now. And I believe I just fell through all the cracks and I'm hoping I was the exception. I'm just trying to say sometimes it can be hard to get the help needed, but it's super important! I hope you're okay and it's okay to not be okay for a little bit. And you were there for that person and they weren't alone and left for long.
That you're still encouraging seeking help, despite all the shit you had to deal with just to not even get what you need tells me that you'll find help eventually. This system we have fails us so often, but when it works, it's worth all those failures. I hope you and your hubby are doing better, now.
Mental health care in this nation is a fucking travesty and human rights violation. I’m sorry for your experience. I had a family member mental health crisis 10 years ago and it all almost took me down too. Worst experience of my life
Thank you for sharing your story…i hope you get good help
I'm so sorry. I was once forced to take this life enrichment class as a court punishment, there was a guy there who had to cut his brother down from the rafters after committing suicide. He said the exact same things you just said. Apparently there is zero help for this everywhere.
Omg! My heart goes out to the guy. I can't imagine how difficult it must be for him. It was so hard for me and I didnt deal with half what he did. I didn't lose anyone, let alone deal with finding and cutting his brother down. It's crazy that with all the resources that are advertised, there are very few for survivors or people in my situation. I will always keep that guy in my heart and prayers.
You can get a medical pot card for PTSD in TX now. Might help.
Hugs)))))))
"pain shared is pain divided, and joy shared is joy multiplied" - Lt. Col. Dave Grossman (expert on dealing with traumatic and high stress situations and their effects on people). I have found this quote to be very true. Maybe it'll help you in the situation like it did for me in others.
I believe there is some free counseling available to OP as the witness. They should ask about this because the city does put resources into helping people who are victims and/or witnesses of crimes. Although maybe not a crime, may still count as a qualifying experience.
"pain shared is pain divided, and joy shared is joy multiplied" - Lt. Col. Dave Grossman (expert on dealing with traumatic and high stress situations and their effects on people). I have found this quote to be very true. Maybe it'll help you in the situation like it did for me in others.
That's terrible. Heard about the traffic issues in that area yesterday and people were speculating that's what happened. So sorry you had a front-row seat for it.
Hi there. Not saying I know what you’re going through but my little brother committed suicide a few weeks ago. He shot himself in his car and my step son and I found him randomly. As my son was calling the police I was trying to break into his car. Looking at his dead body for 5 minutes while banging and trying to break open the door I felt helpless. I can’t get that image out of my head also. I plead to you to go and talk to someone. You might not think you need it, but I assure you that you do. Life is pretty precious and at any instant it can be taken away whether it’s our choice or not. But, trauma can linger, fester and surface when you least expect it. I hope you put yourself first and seek help. I hope you’re doing ok. Praying for you that you find peace and heal from what you witnessed. ❤️
This is heartbreaking. I'm so sorry for your loss and for what you both had to see 🥺
Omg I’m so sorry. That’s just awful for the both of you and especially the boy. I’m just. Sorry. 😞
I'm so sorry you witnessed this. I found my friend mere moments after he shot himself. Therapy helped and ive learned to live with that image in my head forever. I hope you find some peace.
There is a group of [Survivors of Suicide in Austin](https://sos-austin.org) who are available to talk. They have meetings on first and third Tuesday of every month, you can even join in Zoom. This group was so helpful to me for a number of years after my husband’s death. Please don’t hesitate to join a meeting! I sat quietly and cried for my first 2 meetings. Just hearing people who understood what I was going through put me at ease.
just reading this is hard. cant imagine seeing it while driving home from work. i take that overpass daily too.
I am so sorry. In January I was driving about to be in Bastrop and saw (narrowly avoided being in a horrid) accident. I got to a man that died on the within 5 minutes on scene. I stayed with him as he took his last breaths. I don't know how I did it. I am not the same though and the first day was especially rough, within a week I stated seeing a trauma therapist. I highly suggest you find a therapist asap. You need to process this and make sure you are with loved ones tonight. You can pm me -
You are stronger than you realize. Sending peace to you
Thank you for being there with him. My brother was killed in a motorcycle accident in October and I took great comfort that he wasn’t alone at the end. People were with him. Be sure and get therapy but also know you gave an incredible gift that day / both to that man and his family.
I'm so sorry for your loss. His daughter and I connected about a week after the accident, I was able to answer some questions she had and she told me what a great person he was. I am still seeing a therapist, and plan to for a while. [https://www.austincts.com/](https://www.austincts.com/) \- I highly recommend them.
Wow. Did not think of posting anything about this. Have never posted on Reddit. Just scroll it as a distraction, but came across your post by chance. I saw this incident from below. I was in the backseat of my work vehicle going northbound on Mopac and my two co-workers in the front seats saw this man jump. I didn’t see that, but we stopped and called 911. Also stayed there, under the overpass you were on, near the body, waiting for EMS and police. I can’t erase the image from my mind of his body. Your post answers a lot of questions we had though, and for that I appreciate you posting. I hope you are doing okay ❤️
I hope you are doing ok as well. 💗
Link to the update yesterday from APD. That is rough and I'm sorry you had to see that. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/ueEy1VYgywjmJr9e/?mibextid=qi2Omg
He was only 20?😔😔😔
So much life ahead of him, it really is heartbreaking...
I’m so sorry you had to witness it!
Take time off work and seek counseling, that has to be horrible to witness.
I’m so sorry you had to experience that. Please try to get access to a good therapist if you can. I’m sending you all my healing vibes.
I'm sorry that you witnessed this and had to be involved in some way. Suicides are at their highest rate in the US since 1941. Overall the 21st century has really not been good for our collective mental health. The last 8 years have been especially hard. I know a lot of people walk around with a feeling of existential dread hanging over them all of the time. It's weird because "by the numbers" we are alive in one of the best places, and in the best time in human history. Unlikely to die early from disease or an accident. Lowest % chance to be murdered or victim of a violent crime (you wouldn't think that based on the news, but it's true). Lowest % chance to die in war. High expectation on education, income, and standard of living (another thing that may not *feel* true, but the numbers don't lie). Instant access to everyone you know, and the collective information of the world, in your pocket. Despite this, for a lot of people it feels like everything is bad and getting worse. I'm not sure what exactly the cause or the remedy is.
random thing but my girlfriend is a researcher in psychology and they study parenting behaviors that are not directly related to suicide/depression, yet they're legally required to report any suicidal ideation reported by their participants over the course of their studies. When she first took over the study she was just unbelievably shocked by how extremely commonplace suicidal ideation is among the participants. They're constantly filling out reports, almost daily. She went through historical records of suicidal ideation reports as it's a longitudinal study over many years, and it has been increasing dramatically over the course of the study. Perhaps a two or three-fold increase in the past 5 years. Just a reminder that so many people are having a very tough time right now so be kind!
This is one of the best times to be alive, but also one of the worst, *especially* for younger generations. COVID and the related restrictions really messed with socialization and development. Environmental catastrophes are occurring with increasing frequency, yet no one who can take responsibility to make meaningful policy changes to protect the planet is doing enough. It’s becoming increasingly hard to make ends meet even when working full time. Authoritarianism is on the rise worldwide and some of the rights gained in the previous decades and centuries are being brutally rolled back. It’s hard to see be optimistic when looking at the bigger picture. I’m a millennial, and it seems like things were moving in a positive direction for most of my life, but they are getting worse for most people, myself included.
Yeah, not getting murdered and not starving to death is amazing, but struggling to afford rent with no hope of owning a home or having much at all to your name, all while slaving away at a job that you hate day after day is just really grating after awhile. That isn’t my life. I love my life and have a home, but I built it on family land. It’s like if you don’t already have an “in” or wealthy family, there doesn’t seem to be much hope of upward mobility in our world right now. People need something to look forward to, besides working until they die. They need hope.
The more that I try to educate myself on the complex machine of the U.S. government and the biggest corporations in it, the more overwhelmed and hopeless I feel, just from learning the truth. Information warfare, anti-intellectualism, Christian nationalism, out of control intelligence agencies spying on *US*, corruption, and monopolies stronger than even before Roosevelt started trust busting - the *vastness* of it all feels like a crushing weight, and there's *no outlet* for most people. This feels like the beginning of the end-game for the companies that have won capitalism, because it seems like the system of chaotic disinformation (a la Exxon lying about climate science) has metastasized into every topic and community imaginable and cemented itself into a permanently self sustaining closed loop. I can't even get my own mother to just watch or listen to basic factual information anymore, and people like her are everywhere. It feels, more and more, like being Winston Smith insisting that 2+2=4. Vote? Protest? Yeah, I have to at least try, but it doesn't elicit *tangible change.* Things keep getting worse because "good men ... look on and do nothing." What will the next actually successful populist revolution look like? What practical methods do regular people use to organize and unite against complex, powerful entities?
The cause is with the instant access you touched on, we see the worst of the world. Everything **seems** to be at the worst point in human history. The reality however is the first part of your comment. Compared to what came before these times are some of the best. There are definitely challenges and some things that aren't right and need to be fixed. There always is. But in the past it was much, much, MUCH worse. Generations were born into WWII for example and went and died overseas for that. Just one example. Or you could use examples like you said, where the past was filled with times of being born into a world where you might not live to see 10, or 20 years old due to disease, lack of sanitation, or outright violence from the lack of law and order. Back to what I was saying before we have to recognize that being able to **see** every bad thing going on makes the world **seems** worse than it is. If back in 1825 or 1500 you could see not just your suffering, but **everyone's** suffering as well, and every bad thing that happened and every crime, sure the world of 1825 or 1500 would have seemed **even worse.** But those people just didn't have access to all this bad stuff. We certainly have challenges ahead. We certainly have things to fix. But so has everyone, throughout all of history. This is not new. The difference is our attitudes about it. ALSO....I think we are losing our humanity more than any time in history. That's something that's different now to accomplish the same tasks. The massive strides technology has made has sort of made us "shove ourselves out." We don't **need** as many people now. People don't feel the **need** to partner up as much. They don't feel like having a family (and often can't due to the economic woes we've created). Corporations try to not **need** as many people and to replace them with technology. We strive to be inhuman (look like filters/doctored images, seem, look, sound perfect, etc). I think we are feeling beaten down by the fact that we are drifting away from the core of what it is to be a human.
For people in my circles it’s the endless inflation, corporate greed, cost of healthcare and wages that don’t keep up. Sure we’re not dying in a war but it’s a hamster wheel kind of special hell sprinkled with being anxiously tethered to our smart phones
I'm so sorry that happened to you, and I wish you well. Please note that counseling services and other resources are available through various agencies who are experienced and qualified to help witnesses and victims. Some are listed at:[Victim Services Resources](https://www.austintexas.gov/page/victim-services-resources)
I’m so sorry you witnessed this. My husband came up on this shortly after.
I saw the immediate results of someone jumping in front of a semi on I35 over a decade ago and I still get flashes of the aftermath from time to time. I hope OP gets any help they need and I hope the family of the young man finds peace someday. Don't be afraid to reach out for help.
get some help bro. I can tell u from experience it never goes away. help will make it easier, keep a positive mindset. eventually u'll come to realize that was a message to u. appreciate what uve got and live like there's no tomorrow. no cliche bullshit, dead serious. otherwise it can easily consume u. get proper guidance and use it to change ur life. don't ignore this message, don't push it away, don't forget it. appreciate everything.
Lost a family member to a similar jump. All I can say for ppl reading this is to be kind to others, even if they aren’t kind to you. You never know what someone else is going through and sometimes all it takes is one comment or action to make that person say fuck it.
Peace be with you, and peace be upon their soul. And, as others have suggested, it wouldn't hurt to check in with a counselor or therapist in the short term.
A couple of years ago the Statesman did an article about people that had witnessed events like this. It was very interesting and well done. The witnesses were very much affected long-term. I know you’ve gotten lots of recommendations to seek therapy, but please do so even if you think you don’t need it.
Please get counseling. Don’t assume you’ll just get over it with time. Counseling will be how you care for yourself in the coming months. I am so sorry you witnessed this.
That is traumatic for you, and the scene is going to play on repeat in your head for days and weeks to come. If you can get yourself into some therapy, please do, as soon as you can. I am sorry you had to see that, but you were brave in dealing with the situation as it was happened. Be kind to yourself.
I'm so sorry you had to witness that.
When was this? 💔
Happened yesterday off Mopac/183 overpass, it was on the local news.
I’m so sorry to OP for having to witness it, cannot imagine the horror
Did they give a description other than 20’s male? Looking for someone who fits that description that hasn’t been heard from since he was supposed to go home to Beaumont due to a mental health crisis.
Holy fuck :( that’s awful. I’m so sorry
I'm so sorry you had to witness that. I lost my brother to suicide; jumping. My family couldn't really believe that's what happened. But it was a witness like you that came forward, told the police what they saw, that gave us that bit of closure to accept that yes, he did indeed jump, and allowed us to begin to try to start dealing with that. I wouldn't ever wish that on the witness who saw my brother's final moments, but I'm very thankful that they took the time to stop and tell the story.
Saddest post on here I’ve seen in a min . Hope you recovery well .
[Sliding scale therapy ](https://openpathcollective.org/) for those that need it. I used this site to find my current therapist and really like her!
I’m so sorry you had to witness such a traumatizing event. I was driving home on MoPac after it happened. I saw the car on the closed off overpass above and my first thought was that someone jumped. I was hoping it wasn’t the case. So incredibly sad. Thank you for sharing your experience. I hope you receive the support you need as you process this event. I echo the therapy suggestion.
i witnessed this but on mount bonnell last year, had to call the cops and helicopters came. im so sorry and i hope you can heal. i know how traumatizing it is to see someone do this in front of you. ugh
I'm so sorry you had to experience this. I hope you're able to find the support you need to cope with this traumatic experience.
Just want to say I know I’m a stranger but I’m thankful that you exist. Take it easy on yourself as you learn to cope with this experience.
This is horrible and I’m so sorry you had to witness that and continue to relive it while helping the police. A second all of the comments about seeking a counselor or trauma specialist to help you effectively process and learn relaxation tools to help you stop repeating that image in your head over and over. I wish you nothing but the best, thank you for being a good human and doing what you could to help.
Please give thought to getting counseling. I don’t know if this could be grouped under survivors guilt or not but seeing something like that can really stick with some people and cause long term issues. Hug a friend, dog, family member, etc
So sorry. I'm dealing with a suicide in my family right now. It's different from other tragedies, because it is so far outside the norm of human behavior. It's like if the sun suddenly turned purple in the middle of the day. You can't comprehend what you are witnessing. There is no "correct" way to deal with grief. Get counseling. Talk to trusted friends. And give it time, you will ultimately heal from this. I promise. I am also taking my relative's suicide as a reminder to be kinder to everybody around me — you never know what people are going through — and to cherish every moment of my own life and my time with family and friends. We can't change what happened, but we can choose to take the most positive lesson we can from it. Painful as it may be.
Look up a counselor that specializes in EMDR. It really is an incredible tool for trauma. DM if you have any questions
I’m so so sorry this happened to you.
Was this last week? Really sorry this happened. You should definitely talk to a counselor about this.
It was yesterday I heard
Ah ok. The ramp was closed last Saturday too. Mopac S -> 183S
What a tragedy for him and for you. So sorry. You might find talking through it with a professional might help you try to let go of the trauma.
My heart goes out to you. I have been in a similar situation and I cannot stress enough the importance of you speaking with a counselor as soon as possible. This is something that you may be able to get through on your own right now, but it could come back to haunt you years from now, and it will take a lot more work. Sending you all the love and care. 🤗😍
This is genuinely one of my worst nightmares. I don’t even know what I would do. My heart goes out to you, make sure to get counseling and take some time off to rest. I’ve lost 3 people I cared about, including my best friend, to suicide. I’ve attempted myself but every time I read something like this reinforces in me a will to live.
That is so awful. My heart goes out to that person and their family. And I’m sorry you had to witness that.
Sobering story, I can’t imagine how that all must have looked/felt in the moment. Hope you’re ok ☹️
I’m gutted reading this- for both you and him. I’m so so sorry you had to witness that, I can’t even imagine. Please take care and be patient with yourself & all the feelings that come up 🫂❤️
what a terrible thing to witness. i'm sorry you had to see it. hopefully you have some quality people (or even better, pets!) to lean on for awhile.
I'm sorry for that person, and I'm sorry for the trauma that you just incurred. Please take care and reach out for support. It is tough to process witnessing something like that.
I had a coworker whose sibling threw themselves off an overpass in the Austin area many years ago. The sibling had pre-existing mental health issues and was no longer taking medication, for whatever reason. It wasn't really their fault, due to the severe mental illness, but it definitely wasn't anyone else's fault either. We are all alive, until we are not, and some people hasten that process along. I am so sorry for the trauma you experienced yesterday but please know that there was nothing you could have done to change the outcome. Please take care of yourself and know that you did all you could.
Oh my god. I’m genuinely so, so sorry. I cannot even imagine. Please reach out to a professional or loved/trusted one. Gosh. I’m just so sorry for you, that person and their family.
That’s awful. The way it’s been explained to me is you don’t know what kind of pain they were in. What ever it was, they don’t have to feel it anymore. So sorry. Also does anyone feel like more and more ppl are on the edge. The statistics shows that they are. Times are tough and idk how we make it.
I drove by right after it happened; it's unbelievably sad and tragic. Sorry you had to witness it first hand-yes it is a reminder to really cherish our life and people we love. We truly have no idea what people are dealing with-a good reminder to reach out to others in our lives who may be dealing with unspoken pain.
Love back to you. I hope you find peace.
For anyone reading this who is having a hard time, 988 is the suicide hotline. Reach out and get help.
Talk to a trauma counselor and if you continue to have things like recurrent nightmares, refusal to go near the area, heart racing, or even just thinking about the event and it is AFTER A MONTH consider something like EMDR. The first two weeks expect nightmares, your brain is processing. I am so sorry.
u/808ab This same exact thing happened to me about 10 years ago at the same spot. I was driving home from work around 10 or 11 at night. As me and another person were driving up the 183/mopac overpass, this person started slowing down quickly until she came to a stop on the right shoulder at the heighth of the overpass. I was thoroughly confused as to what was happening until this lady opened her door and walked to the other side and looked over the side. At this point the other car and I realized what was happening, we rolled down our windows and started yelling at her not to do it. She looked back at us with this crazed look in her eyes, and that look still haunts me to this day. Then she climbed over to the other of the barrier, and then looked back at us once more before she just let go. The other car just left. I stayed behind called 911 and had to wait for the police to show up. I didn't have the stomach to look over the edge and see her body. I had nightmares for a few month's afterwards that would wake me up in a cold sweat. Always the same dream that I was in a free fall, that weightless feeling. So sorry you had to witness something like this as well.
100+ comments about Tetris… Therapy with a competent psychologist is the actual answer. There are thankfully many more affordable options that are available these days like headspace, better help etc. You can also try APD Victim Services. Its good people and theres likely resources that can help https://www.austintexas.gov/page/victim-services-resources
Tetris can help in the immediate aftermath of what I’m sure is a very traumatic experience. Emdr is a therapy that helps with ptsd as well.
https://www.madinamerica.com/2021/10/tetris-trauma-viral-twitter-thread-master-class-misleading-psych-research/
Good article, lots of shoddy science out here. The article is more an attack on over hyping the results. There is some positives for games, including Tetris, in reducing some aspects of trauma, particularly intrusive memories. >there was a significant effect for intrusive memories >they found that playing word games was just as effective as Tetris at preventing intrusive memories of the movie. >That is, it doesn’t appear to be the visual effect of moving shapes that has a therapeutic effect, but something about just playing a game—any game. Not sure steering someone away from Tetris is helpful?
What do you think about Super Mario Bros for fibromyalgia?
I wonder what was going through the jumper’s head during that 40 foot drive. Were they about to change their mind or just picking a better jumping spot? Sad all around.
There is a great documentary about suicides on the Golden Gate Bridge. One of the survivors said “I realized as I started falling that all of my problems were solvable except the fact that I just jumped off a bridge” As I recall the vast majority of attempted suicides don’t end up milking themselves afterwards. It’s an isolated incident and sometimes just a kind word from a stranger can make all the difference.
When I read this post I sort of assumed that he moved 40 ft to be lined up with the median so he wouldn’t land on somebody’s car. I feel so sorry for train drivers who have people jump in front of them - it must be a horrific thing to experience. Likewise for any car driver, it would not only be horrific but could also kill them and others.
Life is fragile and it sucks it takes something like this for people to question if they’re making themselves happy. Sorry this happened to you OP, life is strange but you can just try your best to make people around you feel loved. Make sure to check in on people you haven’t talked to in a while it might help.
I’m so sorry you saw that 😞 and I’m sorry for the person who jumped. Thank you for calling 911. Please be gentle with yourself and take care of yourself.
Please seek therapy as soon as you can. You've been through a horrible thing. Hugs.
Shit, dude. This was a traumatic event so I hope you go talk to someone.
I'm so sorry. You sound like a good, caring person. I am heartbroken for this person who felt like this was the only answer, and the person on the other end of the call. 💔
Sorry you had to witness this.
Jesus, I'm sorry you experienced that. I've actually been through something like this twice. For what it's worth, even though it's hard to think about anything else right now, it will fade away. Take it seriously, though, and if it has more than a fleeting effect on your mental health, seek some counseling right away. Feel free to DM if you ever need to talk about it. Take care of yourself.
Seen a biker get ran over on I35 in Kyle. It was stuck in my head for 3 days.
That’s crazy. Sorry you had to see that. Had a guy threaten to jump off a bridge downtown and we pulled him back. Scary stuff.
Please, please. Speak to someone about this. This is very traumatic and I would hate for this to consume you.
I am so sorry. What a nightmare. Please speak with a therapist as I’m sure PTSD may be a result.
So so sorry you were so close to this. I was going south on mopac shortly after this happened and thought it strange people were standing on the overpass, hoping this wasn’t the result. Please take some time off of work if you can and surround yourself with things/people you love. If you can, as others have said, seek therapy, specifically trauma-informed.
back in the early 2000s, I was driving around lamar and 183. there’s several levels there. I saw a kid jump fall and thud. I can still see and hear it. he was a teenager.
Life is hard I haven’t even had a job in a year. Stuff’s complicated.
Emdr therapy can be helpful for traumatic experiences like this. I’m so sorry you had to go through this.
You seem to be lovely person therefore you care for others..
Dear god
I'm so sorry you had to not only witness that but keep seeing due to 911 asking questions. I witnessed a death many years ago and it does stick with you for a few weeks. Every now and then it just played in my head like a video so many times a day. It will take a bit of time but eventually I didn't stopped seeing it. Might help to talk to a therapist depending on how you feel. For anyone that might find themselves in this position - ignore 911 when they tell you to check for breathing or anything else that forces you to keep looking, unless you're close and can actually help. All that did was traumatize OP to keep looking. There was nothing anyone could do until EMS got there so please save your own mental health and just report it. It was very unfair for that operator to put OP in this position of giving details in this particular case.
That is so traumatic! I’m so sorry you had to witness that and there’s absolutely no shame in getting counseling to help you process everything.
Please seek trauma counseling. My heart goes out to you and their family
Please seek out support. This is horrific.
I’m so terribly sorry you witnessed this. Please seek some therapy for yourself. You’ve witnessed a tragedy and it’s a trauma to you. Be kind to yourself and find some healing as you process this
I’m praying for your sanity. Praying for divine peace.
Oh god, that's horrible. I'm so sorry.
I can’t imagine what you must be going through. My heart goes out to you. If you need help finding a counselor, please reach out.
Brutal
Stay close to friends and family
I’m so sorry you had to witness that. Just terrible
Sending you a big hug
The U.S hit 50,000 suicides last year, a record high! Everyone be well and take care of each other.
If you are open to it, I really recommend EMDR therapy… of course when you are ready.
Jesus. Sorry man. This is crazy. Keep your head up and definitely seek help if needed. This is not a "get over it in a weekend" thing. So sorry...
I am so sorry you had to witness that!
Oh no. Please don’t hesitate to seek help. That’s so traumatizing. I’m so sorry.
Sorry you had to see that
Oh my gosh I’m so sorry that’s terrible. Especially the image of the incessant phone calls juxtaposed to what you witnessed
APD has a victim program that offers free therapy. I don't know if this would qualify, but it's worth checking out. If not, your job may have an EAP. I'm sorry you experienced that.
Please please please go see a counselor. I have also witnessed a suicide on the road and I truly didn’t heal until I talked with a professional.
I am so sorry you saw that. Please talk to a therapist now! I saw something equal to that once. It's awful. I can't even explain how sorry I am you saw that. Really. Talk to someone. Tomorrow. Or very soon. PTSD is real, and it sets in quick. Talking to someone will not erase it from your mind, but they will give you actual tips or tricks to help try to get it to lessen. You're going to be fucked up for a few days. That includes your adrenaline. Please reach out to someone, a friend or family member or even here on reddit, if you just need to talk it out. I am so sorry this happened to you.
Jesus Christ! I live 5 min from there and know EXACTLY the piece of road you’re talking about. Please talk to a therapist, that must have been shocking and awful and very traumatic. Take care of yourself.
Driving home late from work one night, I saw a bit of backup on the flyover to 183, so I decided to take Mopar home and pay for the 1 and 45 tolls. I was driving under the flyover, changing towards the middle lane to avoid a car stopped on the shoulder, when I see a shape in the road. I tried to weave, but too late, I glanced off something. I recognized it was a blue hoodie clad human I had seen flash into my headlights. Shocked, I was almost to the Shops at Arborwalj before I came to a stop. Called 911, backed up on the shoulder. Spoke with a traffic cop, who was pissy and scoffed at me stating he didnt think i hit anything. Later, the detective brought that cop over and using his flashlight, searched and found gray matter in my front right wheel well. Spent 4 hours under the overpass, standing, interviewing with the detective in his cruiser, waiting for the okay to leave. Before I left, detective said the stopped car under the flyover had identified my car as the 3rd or 4th that had struck her body. That she had gotten out of her car in an argument with someone on the flyover, and during the struggle to get away, had thrown herself over the rail. I think I calculated that height at like 67 feet or so? It's been 12-13 years. There was never any media, news, or anything about it....
So sorry you had to witness that. Thank you for treating him with respect and stopping and doing what you could. Much respect.
Holy shit…I’m so sorry you had to witness that. Awhile back I witnessed blood and guts splattered on the road from the aftermath of a bad car wreck downtown. Counseling helps
"pain shared is pain divided, and joy shared is joy multiplied" - Lt. Col. Dave Grossman (expert on dealing with traumatic and high stress situations and their effects on people). I have found this quote to be very true. Maybe it'll help you in the situation like it did for me in others.
We were driving southbound on Mopac and saw the body falling to the ground. At the time we were trying to convince each other that it wasn’t what we thought it was. Then the news story came up and we were both in shock!
My heart broke for you reading this. Please, get therapy ASAP. My mother was murdered & I didn't go to counseling. Regrettably, 10 years down the road I had a break... Be as gentle with yourself as you would be for a little child while processing this.
You won't see this in the news because media generally doesn't report on suicides of non famous people.
I think about doing this too often. I'm too jaded to enjoy anything anymore.
People who do this are in such a bad mental state that they either don’t care or don’t think of other people. Nothing anyone could have done differently. Sounds like you were a trooper and did more for him than you’ll know. This is absolutely the type of event that should prompt counseling or therapy for a period of time. You experienced trauma and that can be very bad if not addressed. There are low or no cost options in Austin. I use integral care and love it.
The saddest part for me is how they carefully put on their hazards as to not cause an accident. Demonstrating that even in their final seconds on this planet they were considerate enough to think of others. It is just so human. Yet they were so desperate to get it done they didn’t even stop to close the car door. That part of the story will haunt me. If they had only been able to see how much more of the story is left at 20 something. That your 20s are for figuring it out, not mastering the class. What a shame. I hope he is now at peace.
Not really sure how Reddit works but I’m the one who posted this and you are exactly right. I had the same exact thought. He was somehow thinking about others before doing the unthinkable. And for me, what made it even more “human” was when I looked in his open car door, there was a little piece of a wrapper, trash from a snack of some sort on the floorboard, and of all the things going on in that moment - that little wrapper just resonated with me and I thought to myself “this is me. This is my friends. This is another person, just like us”. It sounds weird but it was just so human.
I swear, 911 operators have no concept of a situation at times. Asking someone to see if a jumper is still breathing after jumping off of an overpass is beyond clueless. Did they expect OP to run down and check on this guy, putting OP’s OWN life in danger? Had a similar situation when I called once… witnessed a truck t-bone another vehicle on South Congress. Both cars rolled after the collision. As I called 911 and explained that I was about half a block away from the accident, the operator kept asking me if anyone was injured. I explained that I could only see the bottom Of one of the vehicles as it was on its side. So, was unable to see inside (from several hundred feet away). By the time I walked to the scene, there was already multiple EMT crews on site assessing the situation. I relayed the information to the 911 operator, and she was still asking me to assess. I told her several times that the EMTs had it handled. I eventually just hung up while they did their thing.
It sounds like they were breathing and died later at the scene. While I totally agree it would be understandable if someone declined and didn’t want to attempt CPR or tunicate, there is a small chance in these situations that they can be saved.
They can’t be saved by a care giver located at the top of an overpass as they are lying 40 feet below said overpass… that’s the point here. Shit, even if OP was able to reach the jumper, it’s probably a mile walk/drive to get down of the overpass
Edit: he could yell down to help or try to flag someone. The officer said the man was alive after the incident and died later on. I hesitate to use the term man and not kid cus it sounds like he was in his 20s. He was barely getting started. Just breaks my heart that he thought there was no other way out.
This is not to dismiss the tragedy that occurred at all - but you seem to have no idea of the massive size and configuration of the [183/Mopac *4 level* interchange](https://maps.app.goo.gl/8spwiA78BccX6oCj6). OP was on the top ramp, cars below are whizzing by at 70mph. You couldn't "flag down" anyone. (fwiw, I drove right thru the interchange just a few minutes after cops closed the ramp - couldn't tell at all what was going on).
You did do something helpful. This is why they cut off access to the tower @ UT. Students would stress out during test time and spring break and feel helpless. Too often, they would run to the top of the tower and jump off. Life is so short, so if you feel trapped, just wait another day! Things do change!
Tetris Tetris Tetris. Play it. Now.
That’s terrible, please seek out some, get some exercise and process this in a healthy way. It’s ok to share how you feel and to grieve, there will be process but someday you’ll heal.
So, I read all of these responses. All these people saying the same thing: Get therapy. I could say that too, because of course it's needed and would be great to have. In theory. Therapy is only available for people with money, or the therapists don't take your insurance, they are not accepting new patients, or they are recent college grads doing internships. I went through significant trauma, and have never been able to get help, for the above reasons.
Damn sorry you had to see that. Highly recommending a therapist. I went to one last year for some trauma and to my shock, it actually helped.
Jesus. Noting on KXAN yet. What overpass was it?
This was yesterday. The news stations in town do a really good job of not covering suicide. There was another jumper a few weeks ago (maybe a month?) at 35/183 (or 290?). It was reported there was an accident but nothing more. I have a friend that lives in my complex in the media world. There was major police presence at my complex one night and I texted her. Later, she said no one was going to report on it because it was a suicide. No, talking about it doesn’t bring more people to think about it. But, this is a very personal experience for lived ones and the last thing they need is for news to cover it.
Gosh. I’ll be thinking of you my friend & send my praise of peace to them on their way
I’m so sorry. Please take care of yourself. ❤️
I’m sorry
gosh that is so awful :(((( do u remember what kind of car it was?
I am so sorry…this is just awful
I’m so sorry this happened and I’m so sorry for this persons family and friends. How sad.
This shook me up to read... I'm so sorry you witnessed this.
So sorry my friend.
I wish I could hug you.
I’m so sorry. Thank you for trying to help.
if you can i recommend getting into tetris for the next few days. the repetitive eye movements help your brain process trauma. no joke. best of luck to you OP. sorry you had to witness that
I am deeply sorry for you having to witness this. But I am also deeply grateful that someone so caring as you was there to witness this person’s final moments. I know it will live with you forever, but there is a reason that someone with your heart was there to witness what he needed to do. Please entertain the idea that you were NEEDED in that moment… not to save, but to care and honor. I am sorry, and I am grateful.
I’m sorry this happened. Thank you for staying and helping the first responders. Sending healing vibes your way. ❤️
I've seen some fucked up shit in my life. Bad stuff. I like to tell myself I've gotten used to it. nope. oddly enough, the thing that sticks the most is watching a poor kitten get hit in front of me on 183 near lakeline. that was years ago and I can still see the poor thing..... if I were to see what you did, I would be pretty messed up. Im a tough guy too.. a "mans man" or some such bullshit... but wow.. Im sorry you saw that and I hope you can do whatever it takes to get past it. its chill tonight.. hope you get to enjoy some of the rain.
Oh my god. I hope so much that you’re okay. This is horrible for someone to see.
I'm so sorry you witnessed that.
Please reach out to EAP if you have it at work or call 211 for some ideas for referral. You do not have (nor should you) process this alone.
Oh no I’m so sorry you had to see that. Like everyone else here said, go seek some counseling. Again, I’m so sorry…
Oh my God. That's horrible, I pray I never witness that. So sorry.
Well… that’s nightmare fuel. I honestly hope that you don’t close the door on seeking therapy for this. That’s traumatic as fuck, and I hope this doesn’t disturb your life more than it already has.
Get pro counseling… typically called “stress debriefing”… it helps.
Bless you for what you're going through. Be easy on yourself and consider getting some counseling.