Travels with Charlie: Today the story is about Gordon's son, who interrupted a suicide attempt in Seattle

Barry Sebastian

By Gordon Snyder

This happened to my son Barry as he walked the Denny overpass from Capitol Hill to the Cornish Raisbeck Auditorium…

Barry is a graduate of Shorecrest High School, Shorecrest Community College, and Cornish College of the Arts and works as the Audio Engineer for Cornish… a Seattlite from babyhood. 

He’s a music composer and musician with incredible feelings about the Goodness of All Life.

What an amazing response to a horrible situation. Way to be wonderful Barry Sebastian.

Love to You from All of Us,
Dad

Barry’s story

So on my walk to work as i was walking over the overpass on denny way someone ran to the railing and flung themselves over. Somehow I ran over and grabbed them and pulled them back. Held them in a bear hug and tried to calm them down. Rubbed their back to try to calm them down. Told them it's not worth dying and they are loved and that they would hurt other people too if they did this.

Some other people saw what happened and pulled over and others walked up. I tried to calm them down they seemed calmed there were people around so i released my grip, traffic on the overpass cleared and she then sprinted across the freeway.

I sprinted after her, she flung herself over but held onto the railing with one hand. Just long enough for me to grab her arm with both hands. 

It felt like forever i was holding onto her watching cars shoot by underneath. I was scared i was going to lose my grip. I tried to pull her up, I’m not sure how far I was able to pull her up when other people came to help me hoist her back over the railing.

We got her back to the sidewalk and the guy who had stopped said he would hold her if i was tired. He said i pulled her up on my own. I don't really know.

Someone called the cops. They came and she was terrified. Like they were going to hurt her. People with Palestinian scarves showed up to film the cops. The EMT showed up after five or ten minutes and the person was put on a stretcher and brought to the hospital.

Be kind to people, there is not enough love out there and people are hurting. I don't know what to think about all this. But all i know is people need people and there is so much pain out there.

--Barry Sebastian

Seattle Reddit Link (to see comments)