Florida police officer Antonio Richardson spends nearly an hour talking to a man walking off a Jacksonville bridge to safety
A man’s life changed drastically after a Jacksonville police officer, along with a team of other officers, stepped in to help a man in trouble on the Dames Point Bridge in Florida in April.
Faith had everything to do with it.
Body camera footage taken on April 12 shows Officer Antonio Richardson talking to a man who was standing on the edge of the bridge – preparing to jump.
Richardson, along with six other police officers, responded to the emergency.
“Whatever you’re going through, man, you can get through it,” Richardson was heard talking to the man during the drama.
“Now listen man, listen, listen, you can get through this,” he told the man as the police lights flashed behind them.
“Let’s talk about it for a minute … You believe in prayer, I know that … just touch my hand. Just touch my hand, man, I pray with you,” Richardson said to the man.
The police officer, for about 40 minutes, continued to talk and communicate with the man, who was surfing on the edge of the bridge, looking at the water below him.
Richardson told the man, as he held out his arm, “If you jump, you’re going to hurt other people. And they’re going to be hurting like you’re hurting now … The cycle will stop.”
Finally, after many seconds, the man walked off the bridge toward the policeman—and they hugged. Then other police officers entered.
Appearing on “Fox & Friends” to discuss the incident this week, Richardson said, “When I got the call … I was just there to stop traffic. Then some police officers who knew my position as a teacher asked me to come and talk to this boy … There was nothing written … I didn’t want to see him jump,” he added.
“I just felt inside me that God was going to save his life – and He did.”
He also said, “I was praying. And God saved his life. And we connected. And because of that connection, he didn’t jump.”
Officer Richardson has more than 30 years of experience in the service, according to reports. He said that after the man was safe and the incident was over, the officer called his wife, who was sitting in her patrol car – “she cried like a baby.”
Pastor Jesse Bradley of Seattle, who runs Grace Community Church and is the founder of the Just Choose Hope ministry, watched the video of this amazing event.
He told Fox News Digital, “This powerful story reminds us that we can all love our neighbors and be part of the solution in our nation. Everyone is made in the image of God, loved by Jesus—and life is a gift.”
He added, “We are made to welcome and give hope every day, where we live, work, learn and play.”
Bradley also said that people should “be intentional about pursuing others who need help. Take the risks of relationships. In the parable of the Good Samaritan, there were two religious people who played it safe and stayed in their comfort zone. We have a great calling,” he said.
“Only the Samaritan was willing to go to the man in pain and bring restoration. Let’s be people who cross the road to provide. Let’s be faithful to God. Love is objective, takes action – and sacrifices. Let’s love and live like Jesus.”
Bradley noted that Florida’s inspiring story “points us to the greatest redemption story of all.” Jesus left heaven to follow us.
He said, “We have all sinned against God and need a Savior, Jesus died on the cross to offer forgiveness, and rose from the grave to give us eternal life.”
“Instead of being separated from God,” he added, “we can have peace with God and complete forgiveness through Jesus.” This grace, an undeserved gift, will be with Jesus forever—eternal salvation.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or have a mental health problem and you live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential counseling. If you live outside the five states, you can call the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
