Man Who Jumped Off the Golden Gate Bridge Shares His Powerful Story

Kevin Hines is part of the less than 1 percent who have jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge and survived. Now he’s sharing his story with the world in a powerful new video from BuzzFeed. Hines hopes his experience will help others seek help and realize suicide is never the answer.

By the age of 17, Hines faced numerous mental health issues, including bipolar disorder, and began “spiraling out of control.” When he was 19, after writing a suicide note, he took a bus to the Golden Gate Bridge and jumped. In the video above he says:

The millisecond my hands left the rail, it was an instant regret. And I remember thinking that no one’s going to know I didn’t want to die. In four seconds, I fell 75 miles an hour, 25 stories, and I hit the water. I was in the most physical pain I had ever experienced.

The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most frequently used places in the world to die by suicide, reports BuzzFeed, and more than 2,000 people have jumped to their deaths since it opened in 1937.

“It’s OK not to be OK,” Hines, who’s now in treatment, says in his video. “It’s not OK not to ask for someone to back you up.”

He’s currently working on a film project, Suicide: The Ripple Effect, and wants to continue raising awareness for those living with mental illness.

“Recovery happens,” Hines concludes. “I’m living proof.”

If you or someone you know needs help, please visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting “START” to 741-741. Head here for a list of crisis centers around the world.

The Crisis Text Line is looking for volunteers! If you’re interesting in becoming a Crisis Counselor, you can learn more information here.