Jogger Stops Woman’s Leap From Bridge

A 52-year-old jogger saved the life of a despondent woman today by holding on to her legs as she tried to jump off the so-called “suicide bridge” in Pasadena, screaming, “I have nothing to live for,” police said.

David Stewart and his wife, Joan, 51, were jogging on the Colorado Boulevard bridge over the Arroyo Seco wash at 6:20 a.m. when they saw the woman climb over the railing in an apparent attempt to jump off, Officer Randell Taylor said.

Stewart ran and grabbed the woman’s legs and held on while his wife summoned officers. Taylor, on patrol nearby, rushed to the scene and helped Stewart hang on to the woman by grabbing her upper body and arms.

“The woman kept struggling, screaming: ‘Let me go. Let me go. I have nothing to live for. I have no friends,’ ” Taylor said.

‘You Have Friends’

“But he (Stewart) was cool. He kept telling her: ‘You have friends. I’m here. This officer’s here. Let’s get you to the other side of the railing and we’ll talk about it.’ ”

With the help of Pasadena fire paramedics, the 34-year-old woman, whose identity was not released by police, was helped to safety after about 15 minutes. She was later counseled by a psychiatrist and released to her husband.

Taylor said the bridge has attracted many suicide attempts over the years. “I had a man jump over the side three weeks ago,” he said. “I got there too late.”

Since 1919, at least 96 people have committed suicide by jumping off the bridge to the wash 150 feet below, police records show.