ABOUT THE SPEAKER
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.

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. 

More profile about the speaker
Kevin Briggs | Speaker | TED.com
TED2014

Kevin Briggs: The bridge between suicide and life

Kevin Briggs: Most med samomorom in življenjem

Filmed:
5,482,244 views

Mnogo let je imel narednik Kevin Briggs temačno, nenavadno in občasno čudno zadovoljivo službo: patruljiral je na južnem koncu mostu Golden Gate Bridge v San Franciscu, popularnem mestu za samomore. V streznjujočem in globoko osebnem govoru Briggs deli zgodbe tistih, s katerimi je govoril - in jih poslušal - ko so stali na robu smrti. Vsem, ki imajo med bližnjimi koga, ki bi lahko razmišljal o samomoru, ponuja zelo močan nasvet.
- 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

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
I recentlypred kratkim retiredupokojeni
0
606
1138
Pred kratkim sem se upokojil
iz Kalifornijske avtocestne patrulje
00:13
from the CaliforniaCalifornia HighwayAvtoceste PatrolPatrulja
1
1744
2044
00:15
after 23 yearslet of servicestoritev.
2
3788
2937
po triindvajsetih letih službe.
00:18
The majorityvečino of those 23 yearslet
3
6725
1966
Večino teh triindvajsetih let
00:20
was spentpreživel patrollingpatruljiranje the southernJužni endkonec
4
8691
2628
sem patruljiral
na južnem delu okrožja Marin,
00:23
of MarinMarin CountyCounty,
5
11319
1533
00:24
whichki includesvključuje the GoldenZlati GateVrata BridgeMost.
6
12852
3177
kar vključuje tudi most
Golden Gate Bridge.
00:28
The bridgemost is an iconicikona structurestrukturo,
7
16029
2287
Most je znamenita zgradba,
00:30
knownznano worldwidepo vsem svetu
8
18316
1253
znana po vsem svetu
00:31
for its beautifullepo viewspogledi of SanSan FranciscoFrancisco,
9
19569
2676
zaradi čudovitega razgleda
na San Francisco,
00:34
the PacificTihi ocean OceanOcean, and its inspiringnavdihujoče architecturearhitektura.
10
22245
4391
na Pacifik in navdihujočo arhitekturo.
00:38
UnfortunatelyNa žalost, it is alsotudi a magnetmagnet for suicidesamomor,
11
26636
4416
Na žalost je tudi magnet za samomorilce
00:43
beingbiti one of the mostnajbolj utilizeduporabljen sitesstrani in the worldsvet.
12
31052
4579
in je eno najpogostejših mest
za samomor na svetu.
00:47
The GoldenZlati GateVrata BridgeMost openedodprta in 1937.
13
35631
3130
Most so odprli leta 1937.
00:50
JosephJoseph StraussStrauss, chiefšef engineerinženir
in chargeobtožiti of buildingstavbe the bridgemost,
14
38761
4323
Joseph Strauss, glavni inženir
zadolžen za gradnjo,
00:55
was quotedcitirane as sayinggovoriti,
15
43084
1604
je dejal:
00:56
"The bridgemost is practicallypraktično suicide-proofsamomor-dokaz.
16
44688
3396
"Na tem mostu ni mogoče storiti samomora.
01:00
SuicideSamomor from the bridgemost
17
48084
1709
Samomor z mostu
01:01
is neitherniti ne practicalpraktično norniti probableverjetno."
18
49793
3766
ni niti praktičen, niti verjeten."
01:05
But sinceod its openingodprtje,
19
53559
2294
A vse od njegovega odprtja
01:07
over 1,600 people have leaptskočil to theirnjihovi deathsmrt
20
55853
3147
se je s tega mostu v smrt pognalo
več kot 1.600 ljudi.
01:11
from that bridgemost.
21
59000
2162
Nekateri pravijo, da te bo pot
01:13
Some believe that travelingpotovanje
22
61162
2204
01:15
betweenmed the two towersstolpi
23
63366
2065
med obema stolpoma
01:17
will leadsvinec you to anotherdrugo dimensiondimenzije --
24
65431
2123
popeljala v drugo dimenzijo --
01:19
this bridgemost has been romanticizedromantične as suchtako
25
67554
3456
tako so most tudi romantizirali —
01:23
that the fallpadec from that
26
71010
1579
da te bo padec z njega
01:24
freesosvobaja you from all your worriesskrbi and griefžalosti,
27
72589
3034
osvobodil vseh skrbi in težav
01:27
and the watersvode belowspodaj
28
75623
1784
in da bodo vode pod njim
01:29
will cleanseosvoboditi your soulduša.
29
77407
2124
očistile tudi tvojo dušo.
01:31
But let me tell you what actuallydejansko occursse zgodi
30
79531
2324
A naj vam povem, kaj se zares zgodi,
01:33
when the bridgemost is used
31
81855
1186
ko nekdo z mostu napravi samomor.
01:35
as a meanssredstva of suicidesamomor.
32
83041
2054
01:37
After a freeprost fallpadec of fourštiri to fivepet secondssekund,
33
85095
3454
Po 4- do 5-sekundnem prostem padu
01:40
the bodytelo strikesstavke the watervoda
34
88549
2669
telo prileti v vodo
01:43
at about 75 milesmilje an houruro.
35
91218
3682
s hitrostjo približno 120 km/h.
01:46
That impactvpliv shattersrazbije boneskosti,
36
94900
2717
Udarec stre kosti,
01:49
some of whichki then puncturepunkcija vitalvitalnega organsorganov.
37
97617
3352
ki potem predrejo vitalne organe.
01:52
MostVečina dieumreti on impactvpliv.
38
100969
2349
Večina jih umre ob udarcu.
01:55
Those that don't
39
103318
1752
Tisti, ki pa ne
01:57
generallyna splošno flailmulčerji in the watervoda helplesslynemočno,
40
105070
2593
navadno nemočno mahajo vodi
01:59
and then drownutopiti.
41
107663
2219
in se nato utopijo.
02:01
I don't think that those who contemplaterazmišljam
42
109882
2168
Mislim, da se tisti, ki premišljujejo
o taki metodi samomora,
02:04
this methodmetoda of suicidesamomor
43
112050
1822
02:05
realizeuresničiti how grislystrašen a deathsmrt that they will faceobraz.
44
113872
5176
ne zavedajo, kako
grozljivo smrt lahko izberejo.
02:11
This is the cordvrv.
45
119048
2128
To je kabel.
02:13
ExceptRazen for around the two towersstolpi,
46
121176
2057
Z izjemo okrog obeh stolpov
02:15
there is 32 inchespalcev of steeljeklo
47
123233
2288
je približno 81 cm jekla,
02:17
parallelingvzporejanja the bridgemost.
48
125521
1530
ki poteka vzporedno z mostom.
02:19
This is where mostnajbolj folksljudje standstojalo
49
127051
2285
Tu stoji večina ljudi,
02:21
before takingjemanje theirnjihovi livesživi.
50
129336
2534
preden si vzamejo življenje.
02:23
I can tell you from experienceizkušnje
51
131870
2034
Iz izkušenj vam lahko povem,
02:25
that onceenkrat the personoseba is on that cordvrv,
52
133904
2734
da ko je človek enkrat na tem kablu,
02:28
and at theirnjihovi darkestnajtemnejše time,
53
136638
1758
v svojem najtemnejšem trenutku,
02:30
it is very difficulttežko to bringprinesi them back.
54
138396
3294
ga je zelo težko spraviti nazaj.
02:33
I tookvzel this photofotografija last yearleto
55
141690
2042
To fotografijo sem posnel lani,
02:35
as this youngmladi womanženska spokegovoril to an officerčastnik
56
143732
1936
ko se je ženska
pogovarjala s policistom
02:37
contemplatingrazmišljajo o her life.
57
145668
1998
in premlevala svoje življenje.
02:39
I want to tell you very happilysrečno
58
147666
2256
Z veseljem naj vam povem,
02:41
that we were successfuluspešno that day
59
149922
2108
da smo bili tisti dan uspešni
02:44
in gettingpridobivanje her back over the railželeznica.
60
152030
2924
in smo jo spravili nazaj čez ograjo.
02:46
When I first beganzačel workingdelo on the bridgemost,
61
154954
2392
Ko sem začel delati na mostu,
02:49
we had no formalformalno trainingusposabljanje.
62
157346
2484
nismo imeli formalnega urjenja.
02:51
You struggledse boril to funnellijak your
way throughskozi these callsklice.
63
159830
3794
Boril si se, da si dosegel svoje
pri takih klicih.
02:55
This was not only a disserviceslabost
64
163624
2454
To ni bila medvedja usluga samo tistim,
ki so hoteli storiti samomor,
02:58
to those contemplatingrazmišljajo o suicidesamomor,
65
166088
2039
03:00
but to the officersuradniki as well.
66
168127
2793
ampak tudi policistom.
03:02
We'veSmo come a long, long way sinceod then.
67
170920
3180
Od tedaj smo zelo napredovali.
03:06
Now, veteranveteran officersuradniki and psychologistspsihologi
68
174100
3569
Danes izkušeni policisti in psihologi
03:09
trainvlak newnovo officersuradniki.
69
177669
2671
urijo nove policiste.
03:12
This is JasonJason GarberGarber.
70
180340
2209
To je Jason Garber.
03:14
I metsrečal JasonJason on JulyJulija 22 of last yearleto
71
182549
3211
Spoznal sem ga 22. julija lani,
03:17
when I get receivedprejeto a call
72
185760
1115
ko sem dobil klic o možnem samomorilcu,
03:18
of a possiblemogoče suicidalsamomorilne subjectpredmet
73
186875
1942
03:20
sittingsedi on the cordvrv nearblizu midspanmidspan.
74
188817
2749
ki sedi na kablu nekje na sredini mostu.
03:23
I respondedodgovoril, and when I arrivedprišel,
75
191566
2697
Odzval sem se in ko sem prišel,
03:26
I observedopazili JasonJason
76
194263
1814
sem Jasona opazoval,
03:28
speakinggovori to a GoldenZlati GateVrata BridgeMost officerčastnik.
77
196077
3371
ko je govoril s policistom na mostu.
03:31
JasonJason was just 32 yearslet oldstar
78
199448
2524
Jason je bil star le 32 let
03:33
and had flownpreletel out here from NewNove JerseyJersey.
79
201972
2832
in je tja priletel iz New Jerseyja.
03:36
As a matterzadevo of factdejstvo,
80
204804
1544
Pravzaprav je iz New Jerseyja
tja prišel že dvakrat pred tem,
03:38
he had flownpreletel out here on two other occasionspriložnostih
81
206348
1818
03:40
from NewNove JerseyJersey
82
208166
1762
03:41
to attemptposkus suicidesamomor on this bridgemost.
83
209928
3414
da bi poskušal storiti samomor.
03:45
After about an houruro of speakinggovori with JasonJason,
84
213342
3558
Po dobri uri pogovora
03:48
he askedvprašal us if we knewvedel the storyzgodba of Pandora'sPandora boxškatla.
85
216900
3735
nas je vprašal, če poznamo
zgodbo o Pandorini skrinjici.
03:52
RecallingOb sklicevanju your Greekgrščina mythologymitologija,
86
220635
2435
Če obnovimo grško mitologijo,
03:55
ZeusZeus createdustvarjeno PandoraPandora,
87
223070
1970
Zevs je ustvaril Pandoro
03:57
and sentposlano her down to EarthZemlja with a boxškatla,
88
225040
3354
in jo na Zemljo poslal s skrinjico
04:00
and told her, "Never, ever openodprto that boxškatla."
89
228394
3904
z naročilom:
"Nikoli ne odpri te skrinjice."
04:04
Well one day, curiosityradovednost got the better of PandoraPandora,
90
232298
2642
Nekoč pa jo je premagala radovednost
04:06
and she did openodprto the boxškatla.
91
234940
2402
in jo je odprla.
04:09
Out flewpoletel plagueszla, sorrowsžalosti,
92
237342
2852
Ven so prišle bolezni, težave
04:12
and all sortsvrste of evilszla againstproti man.
93
240194
3212
in vsa mogoča zla proti človeku.
04:15
The only good thing in the boxškatla was hopeupanje.
94
243406
4579
Edina dobra stvar
v skrinjici je bilo upanje.
04:19
JasonJason then askedvprašal us,
95
247985
2573
Jason nas je nato vprašal:
04:22
"What happensse zgodi when you openodprto the boxškatla
96
250558
2984
"Kaj se zgodi, ko odpreš skrinjico
04:25
and hopeupanje isn't there?"
97
253542
3182
in upanja ni tam?"
04:28
He pausedzaustavljen a fewmalo momentstrenutke,
98
256724
3050
Za trenutek se je ustavil,
04:31
leanednaslonil to his right,
99
259774
2439
se nagnil na svojo desno
04:34
and was goneizginil.
100
262213
2201
in izginil.
04:36
This kindvrste, intelligentinteligenten youngmladi man from NewNove JerseyJersey
101
264414
3870
Ta prijazni, pametni mladenič
iz New Jerseyja
04:40
had just committedstorjeno suicidesamomor.
102
268284
3780
je pravkar storil samomor.
04:44
I spokegovoril with Jason'sJason's parentsstarši that eveningzvečer,
103
272064
3000
Tisti večer sem govoril z njegovimi starši
04:47
and I supposedomnevam that, when I was speakinggovori with them,
104
275064
2562
in verjetno, ko sem govoril z njimi,
04:49
that I didn't soundzvok as if I was doing very well,
105
277626
3764
nisem zvenel najbolje,
04:53
because that very nextNaslednji day,
106
281390
2220
saj me je naslednji dan
04:55
theirnjihovi familydružina rabbiRabin calledpozval to checkpreveri on me.
107
283610
3520
klical njihov rabin, da preveri,
če sem v redu.
04:59
Jason'sJason's parentsstarši had askedvprašal him to do so.
108
287130
3794
Jasonovi starši so ga
prosili, naj to stori.
05:02
The collateralzavarovanje damageškoda of suicidesamomor
109
290924
2208
Postranska škoda samomora
05:05
affectsvpliva so manyveliko people.
110
293132
5103
prizadene tako mnogo ljudi.
05:10
I posepredstavljajo these questionsvprašanja to you:
111
298235
2981
In zdaj vas vprašam:
05:13
What would you do if your familydružina memberčlan,
112
301216
2668
"Kaj bi storili, če bi bil
nekdo v vaši družini,
05:15
friendprijatelj or lovedLjubil sem one was suicidalsamomorilne?
113
303884
3108
prijatelj ali ljubljena oseba
samomorilen?
05:18
What would you say?
114
306992
2434
Kaj bi rekli?
05:21
Would you know what to say?
115
309426
3230
Bi vedeli, kaj reči?"
05:24
In my experienceizkušnje, it's not just the talkinggovoriti that you do,
116
312656
3926
Po mojih izkušnjah ni vse v besedah,
05:28
but the listeningposlušanje.
117
316582
2248
ampak tudi v poslušanju.
05:30
Listen to understandrazumeti.
118
318830
4616
Poslušajte, da boste razumeli.
05:35
Don't arguetrdijo, blamekrivda,
119
323446
2528
Ne prepirajte se, ne krivite
05:37
or tell the personoseba you know how they feel,
120
325974
3768
ali govorite, da veste, kako se počuti,
05:41
because you probablyverjetno don't.
121
329742
2611
ker najverjetneje ne.
05:44
By just beingbiti there,
122
332353
2911
Ampak samo s tem, da ste tam,
05:47
you maylahko just be the turningobračanje pointtočka that they need.
123
335264
4323
boste mogoče postali
prelomna točka, ki jo potrebuje.
05:51
If you think someonenekdo is suicidalsamomorilne,
124
339587
3104
Če mislite, da je nekdo samomorilen,
05:54
don't be afraidstrah to confrontsoočiti se
them and askvprašajte the questionvprašanje.
125
342691
3714
naj vas ne bo strah soočiti se
z njimi in jih vprašati o tem.
05:58
One way of askingsprašujem them the questionvprašanje is like this:
126
346405
4210
En način, da postavite vprašanje je ta:
06:02
"OthersDrugi in similarpodobno circumstancesokoliščin
127
350615
2414
"Mnogi bi v podobnih razmerah
06:05
have thought about endingkonec theirnjihovi life;
128
353029
2168
pomislili, da bi si vzeli življenje;
06:07
have you had these thoughtsmisli?"
129
355197
2759
si tudi sam že razmišljal o tem?"
06:09
ConfrontingOdziv the personoseba head-onglavo
130
357956
2796
Direktno soočenje
06:12
maylahko just saveshranite theirnjihovi life and
be the turningobračanje pointtočka for them.
131
360752
3950
jim lahko morda reši življenje
in postane tista prelomna točka.
06:16
Some other signsznaki to look for:
132
364702
2449
Drugi znaki na katere bodite pozorni:
06:19
hopelessnessbrezup, believingverjeti that things are terriblegrozno
133
367151
4148
brezup, prepričanje, da so stvari grozne
06:23
and never going to get better;
134
371299
3127
in se ne bodo nikoli izboljšale;
06:26
helplessnessnemoči, believingverjeti that there is nothing
135
374426
3445
nemoč, prepričanje,
da ne more ničesar spremeniti;
06:29
that you can do about it;
136
377871
2432
06:32
recentnedavno socialsocialno withdrawalumik;
137
380303
2597
nedavna socialna izolacija;
06:34
and a lossizguba of interestinteres in life.
138
382900
4817
in izguba zanimanja za življenje.
06:39
I cameprišel up with this talk just a couplepar of daysdnevi agonazaj,
139
387717
3922
Ta govor sem pripravil
komaj pred nekaj dnevi
06:43
and I receivedprejeto an emailE-naslov from a ladygospa
140
391639
3201
in dobil sem elektronsko pošto od gospe,
06:46
that I'd like to readpreberite you her letterpismo.
141
394840
4485
ki bi vam jo želel prebrati.
06:51
She lostizgubljen her sonsin on JanuaryJanuarja 19 of this yearleto,
142
399325
8112
Svojega sina je izgubila
19. januarja letos
06:59
and she wrotenapisal this me this emailE-naslov
143
407437
1813
in pisala mi je pred nekaj dnevi,
07:01
just a couplepar of daysdnevi agonazaj,
144
409250
3370
in z njenim dovoljenjem
vam sedaj to berem.
07:04
and it's with her permissiondovoljenje and blessingblagoslov
145
412620
2000
07:06
that I readpreberite this to you.
146
414620
3025
07:09
"Hiživjo, KevinKevin. I imaginezamislite you're at the TEDTED ConferenceKonferenca.
147
417645
4002
"Pozdravljen, Kevin. Predvidevam,
da si na TED konferenci.
07:13
That mustmoraš be quitečisto the experienceizkušnje to be there.
148
421647
2934
To mora biti velika izkušnja.
07:16
I'm thinkingrazmišljanje I should go walkhodi
the bridgemost this weekendvikend.
149
424581
3632
Razmišljam, da bi morala iti na
sprehod po mostu ta vikend.
07:20
Just wanted to droppadec you a noteOpomba.
150
428213
2533
Samo obvestiti sem te hotela.
07:22
HopeUpam, da you get the wordbeseda out to manyveliko people
151
430746
2221
Upam, da boš prenesel
sporočilo veliko ljudem
07:24
and they go home talkinggovoriti about it
152
432967
2112
in bodo šli domov in govorili o tem
07:27
to theirnjihovi friendsprijatelji who tell theirnjihovi friendsprijatelji, etcitd.
153
435079
4666
s svojimi prijatelji,
ki bodo to delili naprej.
07:31
I'm still prettylepa numbNumb,
154
439745
2444
Še vedno sem precej otopela,
07:34
but noticingopazil more momentstrenutke of really realizinguresničevanje
155
442189
3072
a opažam več trenutkov pravega spoznanja,
07:37
MikeMike isn't comingprihajajo home.
156
445261
2712
da Mika ne bo domov.
07:39
MikeMike was drivingvožnja from PetalumaPetaluma to SanSan FranciscoFrancisco
157
447973
2747
Mike se je peljal iz
Petalume v San Francisco,
07:42
to watch the 49ersERS gameigro with his fatherOče
158
450720
1917
da bi 19. januarja gledal
tekmo 49ersov s svojim očetom.
07:44
on JanuaryJanuarja 19.
159
452637
2033
Nikoli ni prišel tja.
07:46
He never madeizdelane it there.
160
454670
2944
07:49
I calledpozval PetalumaPetaluma policepolicija
161
457614
2047
Klicala sem policijo Petalume
07:51
and reportedporočali him missingpogrešam that eveningzvečer.
162
459661
2496
in tisti večer prijavila, da je pogrešan.
07:54
The nextNaslednji morningjutro,
163
462157
1902
Naslednje jutro
07:56
two officersuradniki cameprišel to my home
164
464059
3723
sta domov prišla dva policista,
07:59
and reportedporočali that Mike'sMike's caravto was down at the bridgemost.
165
467782
4504
ki sta mi povedala,
da je bil Mikov avto na mostu.
08:04
A witnesspriča had observedopazili him jumpingskakanje off the bridgemost
166
472286
2464
Priča ga je videla skočiti z mostu
ob 13:58 prejšnjega dne.
08:06
at 1:58 p.m. the previousprejšnji day.
167
474750
4252
08:11
Thankshvala so much
168
479002
2620
Najlepša hvala,
da se postavljate za tiste,
08:13
for standingstoji up for those
169
481622
1184
08:14
who maylahko be only temporarilyzačasno too weakšibko
170
482806
2552
ki so trenutno prešibki,
08:17
to standstojalo for themselvessami.
171
485358
2542
da bi to zmogli sami.
08:19
Who hasn'tni been lownizka before
172
487900
2020
Kdo ni bil še nikoli na dnu,
08:21
withoutbrez sufferingtrpljenje from a trueresnično mentalduševno illnessbolezen?
173
489920
3776
ne da bi hkrati trpel
za pravo duševno boleznijo?
08:25
It shouldn'tne bi smel be so easyenostavno to endkonec it.
174
493696
3361
Ne bi je smelo biti tako lahko končati.
08:29
My prayersmolitve are with you for your fightboj.
175
497057
3397
Moje molitve so z vami za vaš boj.
08:32
The GGBGGB, GoldenZlati GateVrata BridgeMost,
176
500454
3596
GGB, Golden Gate Bridge,
08:36
is supposeddomnevno to be a passageprehod acrossčez
177
504050
2726
naj bi bil prehod čez
08:38
our beautifullepo bayzaliv,
178
506776
2083
naš čudoviti zaliv,
08:40
not a graveyardpokopališče.
179
508859
2687
ne pokopališče.
08:43
Good luckSreča this weekteden. VickyVicky."
180
511546
5264
Veliko sreče ta teden. Vicky."
08:48
I can't imaginezamislite the couragepogum it takes for her
181
516810
3043
Ne zamišljam si poguma, ki ga mora imeti,
08:51
to go down to that bridgemost and walkhodi the pathpot
182
519853
1942
da bo šla do mostu in prehodila pot,
08:53
that her sonsin tookvzel that day,
183
521795
3438
ki jo je njen sin napravil tisti dan,
08:57
and alsotudi the couragepogum just to carrynositi on.
184
525233
5074
niti poguma, da živi dalje.
09:02
I'd like to introduceuvesti you to a man
185
530307
3746
Predstavil bi vam rad človeka,
09:06
I referglej to as hopeupanje and couragepogum.
186
534053
5642
ki ga imenujem upanje in pogum.
09:11
On MarchMarca 11 of 2005,
187
539695
2639
11. marca 2005
09:14
I respondedodgovoril to a radioradio call of a possiblemogoče
188
542334
2663
sem se odzval na klic o možnem
samomorilcu na pločniku mostu
09:16
suicidalsamomorilne subjectpredmet on the bridgemost sidewalkpločnik
189
544997
2214
09:19
nearblizu the northsever towerstolp.
190
547211
1488
blizu severnega stolpa.
09:20
I rodeVozi my motorcyclemotorno kolo down the sidewalkpločnik
191
548699
2688
Z motorjem sem se pripeljal po pločniku
09:23
and observedopazili this man, KevinKevin BerthiaBerthia,
192
551387
2712
in zagledal tega moža, Kevina Berthio,
09:26
standingstoji on the sidewalkpločnik.
193
554099
2536
ki je stal tam.
09:28
When he saw me, he immediatelytakoj traversedprečka
194
556635
3425
Ko me je zagledal,
je nemudoma preplezal ograjo za pešce
09:32
that pedestrianpeš railželeznica,
195
560060
2177
in se postavil na tisto malo cev,
ki obkroža stolp.
09:34
and stoodstojalo on that smallmajhna pipecev
196
562237
872
09:35
whichki goesgre around the towerstolp.
197
563109
3072
09:38
For the nextNaslednji houruro and a halfpol,
198
566181
2334
Naslednjo uro in pol
09:40
I listenedposlušal as KevinKevin spokegovoril about
199
568515
2928
sem poslušal, medtem ko je Kevin govoril
o svoji potrtosti in brezupu.
09:43
his depressiondepresija and hopelessnessbrezup.
200
571443
2888
09:46
KevinKevin decidedodločil on his ownlastno that day
201
574331
2674
Kevin se je tistega dne sam odločil,
09:49
to come back over that railželeznica
202
577005
1682
da spleza nazaj in poskusi znova.
09:50
and give life anotherdrugo chancepriložnost.
203
578687
2732
09:53
When KevinKevin cameprišel back over,
204
581419
1771
Ko je splezal nazaj,
09:55
I congratulatedčestital him.
205
583190
2041
sem mu čestital.
09:57
"This is a newnovo beginningzačetek, a newnovo life."
206
585231
2750
"To je nov začetek, novo življenje."
09:59
But I askedvprašal him, "What was it
207
587981
3034
Vendar sem ga vprašal:
"Zakaj si se odločil, da se vrneš
10:03
that madeizdelane you come back
208
591015
1725
10:04
and give hopeupanje and life anotherdrugo chancepriložnost?"
209
592740
2790
in daš upanju in življenju
še eno priložnost?"
10:07
And you know what he told me?
210
595530
2691
Veste, kaj mi je rekel?
10:10
He said, "You listenedposlušal.
211
598221
2530
Odgovoril je: "Poslušali ste me.
10:12
You let me speakgovoriti, and you just listenedposlušal."
212
600751
5200
Pustili ste mi govoriti
in ste samo poslušali."
10:17
ShortlyKmalu after this incidentnezgoda,
213
605951
1959
Kmalu po tem dogodku
10:19
I receivedprejeto a letterpismo from Kevin'sKevin's mothermama,
214
607910
3259
sem prejel pismo Kevinove mame,
10:23
and I have that letterpismo with me,
215
611169
2912
in to pismo imam s seboj
10:26
and I'd like to readpreberite it to you.
216
614081
2850
in rad bi vam ga prebral.
10:28
"DearDragi MrG.. BriggsBriggs,
217
616931
2156
"Dragi gospod Briggs,
10:31
Nothing will eraseizbrisati the eventsdogodki of MarchMarca 11,
218
619087
2865
nič ne bo izbrisalo dogodkov z 11. marca,
10:33
but you are one of the reasonsrazlogov KevinKevin is still with us.
219
621952
3128
a vi ste eden od razlogov,
da je Kevin še vedno z nami.
10:37
I trulyresnično believe KevinKevin was cryingjok out for help.
220
625080
4293
Resnično verjamem,
da je Kevin klical na pomoč.
10:41
He has been diagnoseddiagnoza with a mentalduševno illnessbolezen
221
629373
2722
Postavili so mu diagnozo duševne bolezni,
10:44
for whichki he has been properlypravilno medicatedmedicirano.
222
632095
2834
za katero prejema ustrezna zdravila.
10:46
I adoptedsprejeta KevinKevin when he was only sixšest monthsmesecev oldstar,
223
634929
3368
Posvojila sem ga,
ko je bil star šest mesecev,
10:50
completelypopolnoma unawarene zavedajo of any hereditarydedno traitslastnosti,
224
638297
3948
brez vednosti o kakih dednih značilnostih,
10:54
but, thank God, now we know.
225
642245
4184
a danes, hvala bogu, vemo.
10:58
KevinKevin is straightnaravnost, as he sayspravi.
226
646429
2826
Kevin je dobro, kot sam pravi.
11:01
We trulyresnično thank God for you.
227
649255
2685
In zahvaljujemo se bogu za vas.
11:03
SincerelyS spoštovanjem indebtedzadolžene to you,
228
651940
2401
Z vdanim spoštovanjem,
11:06
NarvellaNarvella BerthiaBerthia."
229
654341
2692
Narvella Berthia."
11:09
And on the bottomspodaj she writespiše,
230
657033
2048
In na dnu je pripisala:
11:11
"P.S. When I visitedobiskali SanSan FranciscoFrancisco
GeneralSplošna HospitalBolnišnice that eveningzvečer,
231
659081
5436
"P.S. Ko sem tistega večera obiskala
splošno bolnišnico San Francisca,
11:16
you were listednaštetih as the patientbolnik.
232
664517
1928
so vas navedli kot pacienta.
11:18
Boyfant, did I have to straightenporavnati that one out."
233
666445
3295
Joj, težko je bilo to popraviti."
11:23
TodayDanes, KevinKevin is a lovingljubezni fatherOče
234
671427
4130
Danes je Kevin ljubeč oče
11:27
and contributingprispevajo memberčlan of societydružbo.
235
675557
2685
in dejaven član skupnosti.
11:30
He speaksgovori openlyodkrito
236
678242
1469
Brez zadržkov govori
11:31
about the eventsdogodki that day and his depressiondepresija
237
679711
2934
o dogodkih tistega dne in svoji depresiji
11:34
in the hopesupa that his storyzgodba
238
682645
1682
v upanju, da bo njegova zgodba
navdihnila druge.
11:36
will inspirenavdihni othersdrugi.
239
684327
3074
11:39
SuicideSamomor is not just something
I've encounterednaletel on the jobdelo.
240
687401
3430
Samomor ni samo nekaj,
s čimer sem se soočil med delom.
11:42
It's personalosebno.
241
690831
2032
Je nekaj osebnega.
11:44
My grandfatherdedek committedstorjeno suicidesamomor by poisoningzastrupitev.
242
692863
3874
Moj dedek je napravil samomor s strupom.
11:48
That actukrepati, althoughčeprav endingkonec his ownlastno painbolečina,
243
696737
3874
S tem, čeprav je končal svojo bolečino,
11:52
robbedoropati me from ever gettingpridobivanje to know him.
244
700611
4546
me je oropal priložnosti,
da bi ga kdaj spoznal.
11:57
This is what suicidesamomor does.
245
705157
2666
To stori samomor.
11:59
For mostnajbolj suicidalsamomorilne folksljudje,
246
707823
2348
Večina samomorilcev
ali tistih, ki o tem premišljujejo,
12:02
or those contemplatingrazmišljajo o suicidesamomor,
247
710171
1954
12:04
they wouldn'tne bi think of hurtingboli anotherdrugo personoseba.
248
712125
2706
ne bi niti pomislila na to,
da bi prizadeli druge.
12:06
They just want theirnjihovi ownlastno painbolečina to endkonec.
249
714831
3584
Hočejo samo, da se njihova
lastna bolečina konča.
12:10
TypicallyObičajno, this is accomplisheddoseženo in just threetri waysnačinov:
250
718415
4036
Navadno se to doseže samo na tri načine:
12:14
sleepspanje, drugsdroge or alcoholalkohol, or deathsmrt.
251
722451
5658
s spancem, drogami
in alkoholom ali smrtjo.
12:20
In my careerkariero, I've respondedodgovoril to
252
728109
2720
V svoji karieri sem se odzval
12:22
and been involvedvključeni in hundredsstotine
253
730829
2353
in bil vpleten v stotine
12:25
of mentalduševno illnessbolezen and suicidesamomor callsklice
254
733182
2778
klicev zaradi samomora ali duševne bolezni
12:27
around the bridgemost.
255
735960
1794
v bližini mostu.
12:29
Of those incidentsincidentov I've been directlyneposredno involvedvključeni with,
256
737754
3511
Od tistih, kjer sem bil direktno vpleten,
12:33
I've only lostizgubljen two,
257
741265
1972
sem izgubil samo dva,
12:35
but that's two too manyveliko.
258
743237
2186
a to sta dva preveč.
12:37
One was JasonJason.
259
745423
2012
Eden je bil Jason.
12:39
The other was a man I spokegovoril to
260
747435
2256
Z drugim moškim sem govoril
12:41
for about an houruro.
261
749691
1683
dobro uro.
12:43
DuringMed that time, he shookstresel my handroka
262
751374
2416
Med tem mi je trikrat segel v roko.
12:45
on threetri occasionspriložnostih.
263
753790
2737
12:48
On that finalkončno handshakerokovanje,
264
756527
2076
Ob zadnjem stisku rok
12:50
he lookedpogledal at me, and he said,
265
758603
2334
me je pogledal in rekel:
12:52
"KevinKevin, I'm sorry, but I have to go."
266
760937
5403
"Kevin, oprosti, ampak iti moram."
12:58
And he leaptskočil.
267
766340
2133
In je skočil.
13:00
HorribleGrozno, absolutelyabsolutno horriblegrozno.
268
768473
2806
Grozno, nepopisno grozno.
13:03
I do want to tell you, thoughčeprav,
269
771279
1976
Vendar vam moram povedati,
13:05
the vastogromno majorityvečino of folksljudje
270
773255
2352
da velika večina ljudi,
13:07
that we do get to contactstik on that bridgemost
271
775607
3522
s katerimi uspemo govoriti na mostu,
13:11
do not commitzavezati suicidesamomor.
272
779129
3196
ne stori samomora.
13:14
AdditionallyPoleg, that very fewmalo
273
782325
2990
Poleg tega, tistih nekaj,
13:17
who have jumpedskočil off the bridgemost and livedživel
274
785315
2656
ki so skočili in preživeli
13:19
and can talk about it,
275
787971
1346
in lahko govorijo o tem,
tisti eden do dva odstotka pove,
13:21
that one to two percentodstotkov,
276
789317
2813
13:24
mostnajbolj of those folksljudje have said
277
792130
1831
13:25
that the seconddrugič that they let go of that railželeznica,
278
793961
3354
da v trenutku, ko se odrinejo od ograje,
13:29
they knewvedel that they had madeizdelane a mistakenapaka
279
797315
2565
vedo, da so storili napako
13:31
and they wanted to livev živo.
280
799880
3051
in da hočejo živeti.
13:34
I tell people, the bridgemost not only connectspovezuje
281
802931
4433
Ljudem pravim, da most ne povezuje samo
13:39
MarinMarin to SanSan FranciscoFrancisco,
282
807364
2281
Marin s San Franciscom,
13:41
but people togetherskupaj alsotudi.
283
809645
3192
ampak tudi ljudi med seboj.
13:44
That connectionpovezavo, or bridgemost that we make,
284
812837
3793
Ta povezava ali most, ki ga delamo,
13:48
is something that eachvsak and everyvsak one of us
285
816630
2429
je nekaj, za kar bi si moral
vsak od nas prizadevati.
13:51
should strivesi prizadevajo to do.
286
819059
1994
13:53
SuicideSamomor is preventablepreprečljiv.
287
821053
3024
Samomor je mogoče preprečiti.
13:56
There is help. There is hopeupanje.
288
824077
3334
Obstaja pomoč. Obstaja upanje.
13:59
Thank you very much.
289
827411
3030
Najlepša hvala.
14:02
(ApplauseAplavz)
290
830441
4000
(Aplavz)
Translated by Andreja Benčina
Reviewed by Nika Kotnik

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
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.

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. 

More profile about the speaker
Kevin Briggs | Speaker | TED.com