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TL;DR
- Jon Bon Jovi prevented a woman from jumping off Nashville’s John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge while filming a music video on September 11, 2024.
- The rock star, along with another bystander, talked the woman to safety and helped her back over the railing, as captured on surveillance footage.
- Bon Jovi’s experience with his JBJ Soul Foundation, which addresses homelessness and poverty, may have prepared him for this crisis intervention.
- Local authorities, including Police Chief John Drake, praised Bon Jovi’s actions, while the singer chose not to comment publicly out of respect for the woman’s privacy.
Rock legend Jon Bon Jovi played a crucial role in preventing a potential tragedy on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, in Nashville, Tennessee. The incident occurred around 6 p.m. local time on the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge, where Bon Jovi was filming a music video for his song “People’s House.”
Surveillance footage shared by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department captured the moment when Bon Jovi noticed a woman in distress on the bridge. The “Livin’ on a Prayer” singer, along with another bystander, approached the woman who appeared to be contemplating jumping.
In a display of compassion and quick thinking, Bon Jovi and his colleague “literally talked her off the ledge and into safety,” as described by local authorities. The video shows the two men helping the woman over the railing and back onto the pedestrian path, where Bon Jovi embraced her in a comforting hug.
While Bon Jovi has chosen not to make public comments about the incident out of respect for the woman’s privacy, sources close to the singer state that he simply did what any person would do in such a situation. However, it’s worth noting that Bon Jovi’s experience with his JBJ Soul Foundation, which he founded in 2006 to combat homelessness, poverty, and hunger, may have uniquely prepared him for such a crisis intervention.
The Nashville Fire Department and Metropolitan Nashville Police Department arrived on the scene shortly after Bon Jovi’s heroic action. Police Chief John Drake praised the rock star’s intervention, stating, “It takes all of us to help keep each other safe.”
This incident adds another layer of significance to the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge, which was named after a reporter who similarly prevented a suicide attempt on the same bridge in the 1950s.
Prior to this life-saving event, Bon Jovi had performed at his namesake bar in Nashville on Tuesday night, even stepping behind the bar to serve drinks to patrons.
The music community and fans have lauded Bon Jovi’s actions on social media, with many calling him a “legend” and a “saint” for his quick and compassionate response to the situation.
This event serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of mental health awareness and the impact that a single act of kindness can have in a moment of crisis.
News Source: nypost