Trigger warning: suicide
In 2006, Jon Bon Jovi started a community restaurant called the JBJ Soul Foundation, which works to “break the cycle of hunger, poverty and homelessness through developing partnerships, creating programs and providing grant funding to support innovative community benefit organizations.” Through his work with the foundation, JBJ has had “extensive training” to help speak to people who are in crisis situations.
That training came in very handy earlier this week. While filming a music video in Nashville, TN, JBJ and his crew came across a woman who was standing on the outside ledge of the Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge over the Cumberland River, preparing to jump off of it. Bon Jovi’s training kicked in and he and an assistant approached the woman, spoke with her briefly, and eventually helped her back over the ledge to safety. Then they hug it out before leaving the bridge area together.
Rock star Jon Bon Jovi helped talk a woman off the ledge of a bridge in Nashville this week, bringing a new meaning to “Keep the Faith.” The Metro Nashville Police Department tweeted on Wednesday that Bon Jovi and his team had persuaded the distressed, unidentified woman to come “off the ledge over the Cumberland River to safety.”
“It takes all of us to help keep each other safe,” added Police Chief John Drake.
The police also shared a video of the incident, which has since been taken down by YouTube. But other clips posted by local media and fan accounts help paint a picture of what happened on the Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge — a truss bridge offering panoramic views of the Nashville skyline — Tuesday night.
The 62-year-old singer happened to be filming a music video for his song “The People’s House” on the bridge, which remained open to the public, The Tennessean reported. At one point, he noticed a woman in blue standing nearby on the outside ledge of the bridge.
Overhead footage shows Bon Jovi and another woman from his team walking toward the woman, who is facing the water but notices as they approach. Bon Jovi greets her with a single wave, which she returns.
Then he comes to a stop a few feet away and leans over the railing. His team member, whom The Tennessean describes as a production assistant, joins them and the three proceed to talk, though the video does not capture sound.
After about half a minute, the production assistant puts her hand on the woman’s back and helps her turn around so that she’s facing the bridge. After a little more discussion, Bon Jovi and his colleague each grab one of her arms and help hoist her over the railing and back onto the bridge. She and Bon Jovi then share a few more words and a long hug. The two left the bridge together a few minutes later, NBC News reported.
The Metro Nashville Police Department and Nashville Fire Department also responded to the scene after getting a call from a witness, according to local TV station WSMV. Representatives for Bon Jovi have told several media outlets that he will not be commenting on the incident.
Many social media observers are hailing Bon Jovi as a “hero” and a “saint” for his response on Tuesday. Some point out that it’s not a one-off — he went viral in 2021, for example, for washing dishes at one of his community restaurants in his home state of New Jersey during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It just so happens that the bridge where this all played out was renamed in 2014 after John Seigenthaler, a prominent Tennessee journalist who saved a suicidal man’s life on that very structure while reporting for The Tennessean in the 1950s.
Wow. Talk about being in the right place at the right time. Thank goodness he had that training and knew what to do. JBJ’s actions really are a reminder that we are all in this together and need to look out for one another. You never know what someone else is going through and it costs nothing to be kind. There’s security video of the entire exchange, which you can watch below. Just a head’s up that it made me emotional to watch it. I hope that woman is doing better now and getting the help and support she needs. If you or someone you know are in crisis and/or considering suicide, please call or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. They also have a live chat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741. SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources also provides for additional support.
Footage of Jon Bon Jovi saving a woman’s life by talking with her and getting her off the edge of committing suicide
Absolutely love this guy & his compassion towards people
My hero not only as a musician, but as a human being
Hope this lady is doing a lot better
If you or… pic.twitter.com/RrDKTfUhe7
— Jerry Braden (@Jerrybraden92) September 11, 2024
🚨Bon Jovi News
Jon Bon Jovi filming in Nashville for a music video for People’s House (war & treaty version)#BonJovi pic.twitter.com/ruv4PiiBnv
— Jerry Braden (@Jerrybraden92) September 11, 2024
Photos credit: James Warren / Bang Showbiz / Avalon, IMAGO/Barbara Hine / Avalon, Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon and via Twitter and Instagram
The video is so intense. What an impact and what a heart for people JBJ had.
Truly amazing. Right place right time and had the training to deal with that situation.
It takes alot of courage to approach a person in that kind of dangerous place. He and his assistant did something really great. I hope this woman gets the help she needs.
I appreciate that someone thought to have another woman go over with him. We don’t know anything about the lady’s background but having a guy approach you can feel threatening even under regular circumstances.
Bless JBJ for stepping up. He and his assistant saved more than one person – that woman’s pain might have ended if she’d died, but her family & friends’ would have just begun, and never stopped. Which I know firsthand from living it. Wishing her good help and support and success.
I’m so sorry for your loss, Amy T. And from personal experience, what you wrote about the situation afterwards for the loved ones is sadly 100% accurate. JBJ and his assistant did a great job. Hopefully, that woman will now be able to get the help she needs, and so too her loved ones.
Wow, as someone who has had 2 family members die by suicide this is great that he was able to help. Hopefully this woman won’t try again & has people in her life to support her.
Incredible video. People have talked a lot of shit about JBJ around here, but I do think he has a good heart.
Really should be more comments praising this behaviour. What a society we live in
We really do need to look out for and help one another in society, and JBJ just gave a masterclass in how to help a fellow human in a crisis situation. I deeply hope that this woman gets the ongoing support and care that she (and all humans) deserve. Our society does so much to keep people feeling alone and hopeless, but JBJ just demonstrated that it really doesn’t need to be that way.
QPR – Question, Persuade, Refer training for suicide prevention takes only 90 minutes and can save a life.