Radio host Howard Stern once talked a suicidal man off a bridge live on air
The discussion took place live on air in December 1994
American radio and TV personality Howard Stern amazingly once talked a man out of taking his own life while presenting live on air.
Stern, 69, is best known for his popular radio show, The Howard Stern Show, which has hosted the likes of Kim Kardashian, Nick Cannon and Bruce Springsteen over the years.
However, back in 1994, the New York City-born creative managed to convince a man not to jump off the George Washington Bridge.
The desperate man told Stern and his co-host, Robin Quivers, that he was planning to jump off the 184-metre suspension bridge and plunge to his death.
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Live on air, the host asked Bonilla: “Why are you killing yourself?” to which the man replied: “Because life sucks sometimes you know?
“I been here before, I come here often to think and I regret the moment that I haven’t jumped earlier.”
Stern employed humour throughout the five-minute conversation, even joking with listeners that Bonilla 'had jumped' when the line went unexpectedly dead for a few seconds.
He also claimed that if the married man went through with the jump, then he wouldn’t be alive to watch Stern’s forthcoming film, Private Parts.
While broadcasting, one listener went to the George Washington Bridge to stop Bonilla from jumping.
According to EightiesKids, the woman who stopped the suicide was Miss Helen Trimble from Brooklyn.
Port Authority Police were also listening to the conversation on The Howard Stern Show and arrived on the scene in due time.
They took Bonilla into custody and later helped him receive psychiatric help for his suicidal tendencies.
For those wanting to get more acquainted with the moment, an hour-long video of the incident can be found on YouTube, which documents the chat between Stern and the man in full.
Over the years, fans have flocked to the comments to commend the host for his quick thinking and his ability to talk Bonilla down.
After watching the 29-year-old video, one YouTube user wrote: “As someone who tried to commit and struggled throughout my life, Howard was great. He didn’t do the cliche of ‘Please don’t do it, you’re worth it'.
“He used humour to make him laugh and forget that he’s even trying to jump. He may sound insensitive, but that’s how comedians are, and he truly helped.”
Another said: “People saying Howard was being insensitive to the guy don’t know what they’re talking about. As someone who’s been suicidal, I can tell you he was actually perfect.”
A third agreed and wrote: “Howard was an incredible hero and so humble, you could tell he didn't want it to be all about him.”
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, please don’t suffer alone. Call Samaritans for free on their anonymous 24-hour phone line on 116 123
Ella Scott