TED2014
Kevin Briggs: The bridge between suicide and life
Kevin Briggs: A ponte entre o suicidio e a vida
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Durante moitos anos o Sargento Kevin Briggs tivo un oscuro, insólito e ás veces extrañamente gratificante traballo: patrullaba o extremo sur da ponte Golden Gate de San Francisco, un sitio coñecido polos intentos de suicidio. Nunha charla solemne e profundamente persoal, Briggs comparte historias de xente coa que falou --e á que escoitou-- mentres estaban nas estremas da súa vida. Dános un poderoso consello a aqueles de nós que teñamos seres queridos que poidan estar pensando no suicidio.
Kevin Briggs - Golden Gate guardian
As a member of the California Highway Patrol with assignments including patrolling the Golden Gate Bridge, Sergeant Kevin Briggs and his staff are the last barriers between would-be suicides and the plunge to near-certain death. Full bio
As a member of the California Highway Patrol with assignments including patrolling the Golden Gate Bridge, Sergeant Kevin Briggs and his staff are the last barriers between would-be suicides and the plunge to near-certain death. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
I recently retired
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Xubileime hai pouco
00:13
from the California Highway Patrol
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da Patrulla de Estradas de California
00:15
after 23 years of service.
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despois de 23 anos de servizo.
00:18
The majority of those 23 years
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A maior parte deses 23 anos
00:20
was spent patrolling the southern end
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paseinos patrullando o extremo sur
00:23
of Marin County,
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do Condado de Marin,
00:24
which includes the Golden Gate Bridge.
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que inclúe a ponte Golden Gate.
00:28
The bridge is an iconic structure,
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Esta ponte é unha estrutura icónica
00:30
known worldwide
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coñecida mundialmente
00:31
for its beautiful views of San Francisco,
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polas súas belas vistas de San Francisco,
00:34
the Pacific Ocean, and its inspiring architecture.
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do Océano Pacífico, e pola súa
impoñente arquitectura.
impoñente arquitectura.
00:38
Unfortunately, it is also a magnet for suicide,
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Por desgraza, tamén
é un imán para o suicidio,
é un imán para o suicidio,
00:43
being one of the most utilized sites in the world.
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sendo un dos sitios
máis utilizados do mundo.
máis utilizados do mundo.
00:47
The Golden Gate Bridge opened in 1937.
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A ponte Golden Gate inaugurouse en 1937.
00:50
Joseph Strauss, chief engineer
in charge of building the bridge,
in charge of building the bridge,
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Joseph Strauss, enxeñeiro xefe
encargado da construción da ponte,
encargado da construción da ponte,
00:55
was quoted as saying,
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dixo textualmente:
00:56
"The bridge is practically suicide-proof.
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"A ponte é a proba de suicidio.
01:00
Suicide from the bridge
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O suicidio dende a ponte
01:01
is neither practical nor probable."
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non e nin práctico nin probable."
01:05
But since its opening,
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Pero dende a súa inauguración,
01:07
over 1,600 people have leapt to their death
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máis de 1.600 persoas
brincaron cara á súa morte
brincaron cara á súa morte
01:11
from that bridge.
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dende esta ponte.
01:13
Some believe that traveling
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Algúns cren que viaxar
01:15
between the two towers
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entre as dúas torres
01:17
will lead you to another dimension --
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levaraos a outra dimensión
01:19
this bridge has been romanticized as such —
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--ata tal punto se idealizou esta ponte--
01:23
that the fall from that
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que a caída dende ela
libérate de todas as inquietudes e penas,
01:24
frees you from all your worries and grief,
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01:27
and the waters below
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e as augas de abaixo
01:29
will cleanse your soul.
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limparán a túa alma.
Pero deixádeme que vos diga
qué ocorre de verdade
qué ocorre de verdade
01:31
But let me tell you what actually occurs
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01:33
when the bridge is used
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cando a ponte se usa
01:35
as a means of suicide.
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como medio de suicidio.
01:37
After a free fall of four to five seconds,
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Despois dunha caída libre
de 4 ou 5 segundos,
de 4 ou 5 segundos,
01:40
the body strikes the water
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o corpo impacta contra a auga
01:43
at about 75 miles an hour.
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a máis ou menos 120 quilómetros por hora.
01:46
That impact shatters bones,
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O impacto esnaquiza os ósos,
01:49
some of which then puncture vital organs.
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algúns dos cales perforan órganos vitais.
01:52
Most die on impact.
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A maioría morren no impacto.
01:55
Those that don't
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Os que non morren
01:57
generally flail in the water helplessly,
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en xeral axítanse na auga con impotencia
01:59
and then drown.
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e despois afogan.
02:01
I don't think that those who contemplate
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Non creo que aqueles que contemplan
02:04
this method of suicide
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este método de suicidio
02:05
realize how grisly a death that they will face.
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se dean conta da macabra morte
que enfrontarán
que enfrontarán
02:11
This is the cord.
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Este é o cable.
02:13
Except for around the two towers,
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Excepto arredor das dúas torres,
02:15
there is 32 inches of steel
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hai 32 polgadas de ferro
02:17
paralleling the bridge.
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en paralelo á ponte.
02:19
This is where most folks stand
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Aquí é onde a maioría
da xente se pon
da xente se pon
02:21
before taking their lives.
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antes de quitarse a vida.
02:23
I can tell you from experience
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Podo dicirvos por experiencia
02:25
that once the person is on that cord,
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que cando unha persoa está nese cable,
02:28
and at their darkest time,
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e no seu momento máis escuro,
02:30
it is very difficult to bring them back.
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é moi difícil traela de volta.
02:33
I took this photo last year
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Tirei esta foto o ano pasado
02:35
as this young woman spoke to an officer
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mentres unha moza falaba cun policía
02:37
contemplating her life.
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reflexionando sobre a súa vida.
02:39
I want to tell you very happily
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Quero dicirvos con ledicia
02:41
that we were successful that day
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que ese día tivemos éxito
02:44
in getting her back over the rail.
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en traela de volta á plataforma.
02:46
When I first began working on the bridge,
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Cando empecei a traballar na ponte,
02:49
we had no formal training.
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non tiñamos adestramento formal
02:51
You struggled to funnel your
way through these calls.
way through these calls.
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Loitabamos para canalizar estas chamadas.
02:55
This was not only a disservice
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Isto non só era un mal servizo
02:58
to those contemplating suicide,
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para quen contemplaba o suicidio,
03:00
but to the officers as well.
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senón tamén para os axentes.
03:02
We've come a long, long way since then.
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Andamos un longo camiño dende aquela.
03:06
Now, veteran officers and psychologists
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Agora, policías veteranos e psicólogos
03:09
train new officers.
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adestran as novas xeracións de policías.
03:12
This is Jason Garber.
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Este é Jason Garber.
03:14
I met Jason on July 22 of last year
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Coñecino o 22 de xullo do ano pasado
03:17
when I get received a call
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ao recibir unha chamada
03:18
of a possible suicidal subject
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sobre un posible suicida
03:20
sitting on the cord near midspan.
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que estaba sentado no cable
da arcada da ponte.
da arcada da ponte.
03:23
I responded, and when I arrived,
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Respondín, e cando cheguei,
03:26
I observed Jason
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observei a Jason
03:28
speaking to a Golden Gate Bridge officer.
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falando cun policía da ponte.
03:31
Jason was just 32 years old
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Jason tiña só 32 anos
03:33
and had flown out here from New Jersey.
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e voara ata alí dende Nova Jersey.
03:36
As a matter of fact,
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De feito,
03:38
he had flown out here on two other occasions
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voara ata alí noutras dúas ocasións
03:40
from New Jersey
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dende Nova Jersey
03:41
to attempt suicide on this bridge.
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para intentar suicidarse nesa ponte.
03:45
After about an hour of speaking with Jason,
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Despois dunha hora falando con Jason,
03:48
he asked us if we knew the story of Pandora's box.
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preguntounos se sabiamos
a historia da caixa de Pandora.
a historia da caixa de Pandora.
03:52
Recalling your Greek mythology,
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Lembrando a mitoloxía grega,
03:55
Zeus created Pandora,
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Zeus creou a Pandora,
03:57
and sent her down to Earth with a box,
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e enviouna á Terra cunha caixa,
04:00
and told her, "Never, ever open that box."
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e díxolle. "Xamais abras esta caixa."
04:04
Well one day, curiosity got the better of Pandora,
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Pero un día, a curiosidade
puido con Pandora,
puido con Pandora,
04:06
and she did open the box.
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e abriu a caixa.
04:09
Out flew plagues, sorrows,
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Saíron para fóra pragas, penas,
04:12
and all sorts of evils against man.
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e todo tipo de maldades
contra o ser humano.
contra o ser humano.
04:15
The only good thing in the box was hope.
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A única cousa boa da caixa
era a esperanza.
era a esperanza.
04:19
Jason then asked us,
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Jason despois preguntounos,
04:22
"What happens when you open the box
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"Que pasa cando abres a caixa
04:25
and hope isn't there?"
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e non hai esperanza?
04:28
He paused a few moments,
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Calou por un momento,
04:31
leaned to his right,
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inclinouse cara á dereita,
04:34
and was gone.
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e desapareceu.
04:36
This kind, intelligent young man from New Jersey
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Este amable e
intelixente mozo de Nova Jersey
intelixente mozo de Nova Jersey
04:40
had just committed suicide.
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acababa de suicidarse.
04:44
I spoke with Jason's parents that evening,
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Falei cos pais de Jason esa tarde,
04:47
and I suppose that, when I was speaking with them,
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e supoño que, mentres falaba con eles,
04:49
that I didn't sound as if I was doing very well,
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non tiña pinta de atoparme ben,
04:53
because that very next day,
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porque ó día seguinte,
04:55
their family rabbi called to check on me.
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o rabino da súa familia chamoume
para ver cómo estaba.
para ver cómo estaba.
04:59
Jason's parents had asked him to do so.
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Os pais de Jason pedíranllo.
05:02
The collateral damage of suicide
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Os danos colaterais do suicidio
05:05
affects so many people.
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afectan a moita xente.
05:10
I pose these questions to you:
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Fágovos estas preguntas:
05:13
What would you do if your family member,
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Que fariades se alguén da vosa familia,
05:15
friend or loved one was suicidal?
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amigo ou ser querido fose un suicida?
05:18
What would you say?
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Que lle diriades?
05:21
Would you know what to say?
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Saberiades que dicir?
05:24
In my experience, it's not just the talking that you do,
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Na miña experiencia,
non se trata só de falar,
non se trata só de falar,
05:28
but the listening.
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senón tamén de escoitar.
05:30
Listen to understand.
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Escoitar para entender.
05:35
Don't argue, blame,
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Non discutir, nin culpar,
05:37
or tell the person you know how they feel,
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ou dicirlle á persoa
que sabes como se sente,
que sabes como se sente,
05:41
because you probably don't.
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porque probablemente non o saibas.
05:44
By just being there,
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Pero simplemente estando alí,
05:47
you may just be the turning point that they need.
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podes ser o punto de inflexión que precisa.
05:51
If you think someone is suicidal,
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Se cres que alguén pensa en suicidarse,
05:54
don't be afraid to confront
them and ask the question.
them and ask the question.
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non teñas medo de poñerte diante
e preguntarlle.
e preguntarlle.
05:58
One way of asking them the question is like this:
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Unha maneira de facelo é:
06:02
"Others in similar circumstances
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"Outros en circunstancias parecidas
06:05
have thought about ending their life;
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pensaron en terminar coa súa vida;
06:07
have you had these thoughts?"
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tamén che pasou pola cabeza?
06:09
Confronting the person head-on
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Poñerte diante da persoa cara a cara
06:12
may just save their life and
be the turning point for them.
be the turning point for them.
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pode salvar a súa vida.
06:16
Some other signs to look for:
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Algúns indicios que podes observar son:
06:19
hopelessness, believing that things are terrible
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desesperación, que crean
que as cousas son terribles
que as cousas son terribles
06:23
and never going to get better;
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e que nunca mellorarán;
06:26
helplessness, believing that there is nothing
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impotencia, que crean que non hai nada
06:29
that you can do about it;
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que poidan facer;
06:32
recent social withdrawal;
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illamento social recente;
06:34
and a loss of interest in life.
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e perda de interese pola vida.
06:39
I came up with this talk just a couple of days ago,
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Elaborei esta charla hai uns poucos días,
06:43
and I received an email from a lady
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e recibín un correo dunha señora
06:46
that I'd like to read you her letter.
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que me gustaría ler para vós.
06:51
She lost her son on January 19 of this year,
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Perdeu ó seu fillo o
19 de xaneiro deste ano,
19 de xaneiro deste ano,
06:59
and she wrote this me this email
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e escribiume este correo
07:01
just a couple of days ago,
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hai uns días.
07:04
and it's with her permission and blessing
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e co seu permiso e bendición
07:06
that I read this to you.
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léovos isto.
07:09
"Hi, Kevin. I imagine you're at the TED Conference.
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"Ola, Kevin, supoño
que estás na Conferencia TED.
que estás na Conferencia TED.
07:13
That must be quite the experience to be there.
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Debe ser unha boa experiencia estar aí.
07:16
I'm thinking I should go walk
the bridge this weekend.
the bridge this weekend.
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Penso que debería pasear
pola ponte esta fin de semana.
pola ponte esta fin de semana.
07:20
Just wanted to drop you a note.
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Só quería deixarche unha nota.
07:22
Hope you get the word out to many people
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Espero que corras a voz a moita xente
07:24
and they go home talking about it
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e vaian para a casa falándolles disto
07:27
to their friends who tell their friends, etc.
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ós seus amigos,
que llelo contarán ós seus amigos, etc.
que llelo contarán ós seus amigos, etc.
07:31
I'm still pretty numb,
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Aínda estou un pouco atordada,
07:34
but noticing more moments of really realizing
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pero cada vez me dou máis conta
de que en realidade
de que en realidade
07:37
Mike isn't coming home.
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Mike non vai volver á casa.
07:39
Mike was driving from Petaluma to San Francisco
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Mike conducía dende
Petaluma ata San Francisco
Petaluma ata San Francisco
07:42
to watch the 49ers game with his father
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para ver o partido dos 49ers co seu pai
07:44
on January 19.
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o 19 de xaneiro.
07:46
He never made it there.
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Nunca chegou ao partido.
07:49
I called Petaluma police
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Chamei á policía de Petaluma
07:51
and reported him missing that evening.
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e denunciei a súa desaparición esa tarde.
07:54
The next morning,
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Ao día seguinte pola mañá,
07:56
two officers came to my home
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dous policías viñeron á miña casa
07:59
and reported that Mike's car was down at the bridge.
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e informáronme de que o coche
de Mike estaba debaixo da ponte.
de Mike estaba debaixo da ponte.
08:04
A witness had observed him jumping off the bridge
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Unha testemuña vírao saltar da ponte
08:06
at 1:58 p.m. the previous day.
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á 1:58 da tarde do día anterior.
08:11
Thanks so much
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Moitas grazas
08:13
for standing up for those
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por defender a aqueles
08:14
who may be only temporarily too weak
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que son temporalmente incapaces
08:17
to stand for themselves.
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de defenderse por si mesmos.
08:19
Who hasn't been low before
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Quen non estivo nunca deprimido
08:21
without suffering from a true mental illness?
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sen sufrir unha verdadeira
enfermidade mental?
enfermidade mental?
08:25
It shouldn't be so easy to end it.
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Non debería ser tan fácil acabar coa vida.
08:29
My prayers are with you for your fight.
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As miñas oracións
están contigo na túa loita.
están contigo na túa loita.
08:32
The GGB, Golden Gate Bridge,
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A PGG, a ponte Golden Gate,
08:36
is supposed to be a passage across
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suponse que é unha pasaxe
sobre a nosa fermosa baía,
08:38
our beautiful bay,
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08:40
not a graveyard.
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non un cemiterio.
08:43
Good luck this week. Vicky."
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Boa sorte esta semana. Vicky."
08:48
I can't imagine the courage it takes for her
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Non podo nin imaxinar
a valentía que necesitou
a valentía que necesitou
para ir ata a ponte e pasear polo camiño
08:51
to go down to that bridge and walk the path
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que o seu fillo fixo aquel día,
08:53
that her son took that day,
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08:57
and also the courage just to carry on.
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nin a que precisa para proseguir.
09:02
I'd like to introduce you to a man
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Gustaríame presentarvos un home
09:06
I refer to as hope and courage.
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ao que presento como exemplo
de esperanza e valentía.
de esperanza e valentía.
09:11
On March 11 of 2005,
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O 11 de marzo de 2005,
09:14
I responded to a radio call of a possible
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respondín unha chamada
de radio dun posible
de radio dun posible
09:16
suicidal subject on the bridge sidewalk
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caso de suicidio na plataforma da ponte
09:19
near the north tower.
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cerca da torre norte.
09:20
I rode my motorcycle down the sidewalk
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Fun coa miña moto pola plataforma
09:23
and observed this man, Kevin Berthia,
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e vin a este home, Kevin Berthia,
09:26
standing on the sidewalk.
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parado nela.
09:28
When he saw me, he immediately traversed
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Cando me viu, cruzou decontado
09:32
that pedestrian rail,
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a vía peonil,
e púxose de pé na pequena tubaxe
09:34
and stood on that small pipe
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09:35
which goes around the tower.
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que rodea a torre.
09:38
For the next hour and a half,
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Durante a seguinte hora e media,
09:40
I listened as Kevin spoke about
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escoitei a Kevin mentres falaba
09:43
his depression and hopelessness.
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da súa depresión e desesperanza.
09:46
Kevin decided on his own that day
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Kevin decidiu por si mesmo ese día
09:49
to come back over that rail
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regresar cara á plataforma
09:50
and give life another chance.
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e darlle á vida outra oportunidade.
09:53
When Kevin came back over,
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Cando Kevin regresou cara a atrás,
09:55
I congratulated him.
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feliciteino.
09:57
"This is a new beginning, a new life."
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"Este é un novo comezo, unha nova vida."
09:59
But I asked him, "What was it
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Pero pregunteille,
“Que fixo que volveras
10:03
that made you come back
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10:04
and give hope and life another chance?"
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e lle deras á vida outra oportunidade?
10:07
And you know what he told me?
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E sabedes que me dixo?
10:10
He said, "You listened.
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"Escoitáchesme.
10:12
You let me speak, and you just listened."
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Deixáchesme falar, e só escoitaches."
10:17
Shortly after this incident,
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Pouco tempo despois deste incidente,
10:19
I received a letter from Kevin's mother,
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recibín unha carta da nai de Kevin,
10:23
and I have that letter with me,
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e teño esa carta comigo,
10:26
and I'd like to read it to you.
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e gustaríame lérvola.
10:28
"Dear Mr. Briggs,
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"Querido Sr. Briggs,
10:31
Nothing will erase the events of March 11,
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Nada borrará os sucesos do 11 de marzo,
10:33
but you are one of the reasons Kevin is still with us.
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pero ti es unha das razóns
polas que Kevin aínda está con nós
polas que Kevin aínda está con nós
10:37
I truly believe Kevin was crying out for help.
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Penso de verdade que Kevin
estaba pedindo axuda a gritos.
estaba pedindo axuda a gritos.
10:41
He has been diagnosed with a mental illness
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Diagnosticáranlle unha enfermidade mental
10:44
for which he has been properly medicated.
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da que o estaban medicando axeitadamente.
10:46
I adopted Kevin when he was only six months old,
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Adoptei a Kevin cando só tiña seis meses,
10:50
completely unaware of any hereditary traits,
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sen coñecer os seus trazos xenéticos,
10:54
but, thank God, now we know.
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pero, grazas a Deus, agora coñecémolos.
10:58
Kevin is straight, as he says.
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Kevin está ben, segundo el di.
11:01
We truly thank God for you.
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Dámoslle grazas a Deus por ti.
11:03
Sincerely indebted to you,
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En débeda sincera contigo,
11:06
Narvella Berthia."
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Narvella Berthia."
11:09
And on the bottom she writes,
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E ao final ela escribe,
11:11
"P.S. When I visited San Francisco
General Hospital that evening,
General Hospital that evening,
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"PD.- Cando visitei o Hospital Xeral
de San Francisco esa tarde,
de San Francisco esa tarde,
11:16
you were listed as the patient.
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eras ti o rexistrado como paciente.
11:18
Boy, did I have to straighten that one out."
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Meu Deus!, tiven que aclarar iso."
11:23
Today, Kevin is a loving father
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Hoxe, Kevin é un pai cariñoso
11:27
and contributing member of society.
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e un membro activo da sociedade.
11:30
He speaks openly
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Fala abertamente
11:31
about the events that day and his depression
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sobre o que pasou ese día
e sobre a súa depresión
e sobre a súa depresión
11:34
in the hopes that his story
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coa esperanza de que a súa historia
11:36
will inspire others.
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lle axude a outros.
11:39
Suicide is not just something
I've encountered on the job.
I've encountered on the job.
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O suicidio non é algo
co que só me enfrontei no traballo.
co que só me enfrontei no traballo.
11:42
It's personal.
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Tamén é persoal.
11:44
My grandfather committed suicide by poisoning.
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O meu avó suicidouse envelenándose.
11:48
That act, although ending his own pain,
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Ese acto, aínda que terminou coa súa dor,
11:52
robbed me from ever getting to know him.
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quitoume a oportunidade de coñecelo.
11:57
This is what suicide does.
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Iso é o que fai o suicidio.
11:59
For most suicidal folks,
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A maioría das persoas suicidas,
12:02
or those contemplating suicide,
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ou quen contempla suicidarse,
12:04
they wouldn't think of hurting another person.
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non pensan en magoar a outra persoa.
12:06
They just want their own pain to end.
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Só queren terminar coa súa propia dor.
12:10
Typically, this is accomplished in just three ways:
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Normalmente, conségueno de tres maneiras:
12:14
sleep, drugs or alcohol, or death.
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durmindo, con drogas ou alcohol,
ou coa morte.
ou coa morte.
12:20
In my career, I've responded to
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Na miña carreira, respondín
12:22
and been involved in hundreds
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e vinme implicado en centos
12:25
of mental illness and suicide calls
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de chamadas vinculadas
a enfermidades mentais e suicidio
a enfermidades mentais e suicidio
12:27
around the bridge.
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relacionadas coa ponte.
12:29
Of those incidents I've been directly involved with,
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Nos incidentes
en que me impliquei directamente,
en que me impliquei directamente,
12:33
I've only lost two,
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só perdín a dúas persoas,
12:35
but that's two too many.
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pero dúas xa son demasiadas.
12:37
One was Jason.
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Un foi Jason.
12:39
The other was a man I spoke to
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O outro foi un home co que falei
12:41
for about an hour.
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durante unha hora.
12:43
During that time, he shook my hand
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Durante ese tempo,
estreitoume a man
estreitoume a man
12:45
on three occasions.
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ata tres veces.
12:48
On that final handshake,
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Na aperta de mans final,
12:50
he looked at me, and he said,
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miroume, e díxome,
12:52
"Kevin, I'm sorry, but I have to go."
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"Kevin, síntoo, pero teño que marchar."
12:58
And he leapt.
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E saltou.
13:00
Horrible, absolutely horrible.
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Espantoso, absolutamente espantoso.
13:03
I do want to tell you, though,
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Quérovos dicir, non obstante,
13:05
the vast majority of folks
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que a gran maioría das persoas
13:07
that we do get to contact on that bridge
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coas que podemos contactar na ponte
13:11
do not commit suicide.
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non se suicidan.
13:14
Additionally, that very few
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Ademais, as poucas
13:17
who have jumped off the bridge and lived
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que saltaron da ponte e sobreviviron
13:19
and can talk about it,
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e poden falar sobre iso,
13:21
that one to two percent,
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ese un ou dous por cento,
13:24
most of those folks have said
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a maioría deles dixeron
13:25
that the second that they let go of that rail,
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que no momento en que soltaron a plataforma,
13:29
they knew that they had made a mistake
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souberon que cometeran un erro
13:31
and they wanted to live.
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e querían vivir.
13:34
I tell people, the bridge not only connects
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Eu dígolle á xente que a ponte
non só conecta
non só conecta
13:39
Marin to San Francisco,
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Marin e San Francisco,
13:41
but people together also.
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senón tamén a unhas persoas con outras.
13:44
That connection, or bridge that we make,
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Esa conexión, ou a ponte que facemos,
13:48
is something that each and every one of us
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é algo que cada un de nós
13:51
should strive to do.
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1994
deberiamos esforzarnos por acadar.
13:53
Suicide is preventable.
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O suicidio pódese previr.
13:56
There is help. There is hope.
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Hai axuda. Hai esperanza.
13:59
Thank you very much.
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Moitísimas grazas.
(Aplausos)
14:02
(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Kevin Briggs - Golden Gate guardianAs a member of the California Highway Patrol with assignments including patrolling the Golden Gate Bridge, Sergeant Kevin Briggs and his staff are the last barriers between would-be suicides and the plunge to near-certain death.
Why you should listen
The Golden Gate Bridge is an iconic landmark of unparalleled beauty and attracts swarms of visitors every year. Tragically, also among them are hundreds of suicidal men and women.
As a member of the CHP for over twenty-three years, with the majority of those years patrolling the Golden Gate Bridge, Sgt. Briggs discovered early that his job required him to take on an unusual role for a police officer: suicide prevention counselor. As a cancer survivor and survivor of multiple heart operations, Briggs’ familiarity with personal struggle bonds him with suicidal men and women. With simple empathy, an instinct for improvisation and a refusal to walk away, Briggs has negotiated several hundred people from suicide on the Golden Gate Bridge. As he told the SF Chronicle, "I've talked to people from ten minutes to seven hours. I very much despise losing. I do whatever I can to get that person back over the rail. I play to win." Sgt. Briggs retired from the CHP in November 2013.
Kevin also has a book, Guardian of the Golden Gate , about his experiences.
Kevin Briggs | Speaker | TED.com