A Scioto County Sheriff’s dispatcher is being credited with extraordinary calm and compassion after talking a distraught man off the brink of suicide during a terrifying 911 call near Franklin Furnace.
The call began with words no dispatcher ever wants to hear.
“I’m going to jump off this ledge,” the man told the dispatcher, saying he planned to end his life by jumping into the Ohio River.
Rather than panic, the dispatcher did exactly what training—and instinct—demanded: he stayed calm.
“Sir, where are you at right now?” the dispatcher asked gently.
The caller, clearly disoriented and overwhelmed, said he didn’t know where he was—but repeated that he was going to jump.
“No, don’t do that,” the dispatcher replied softly.
Again and again, the man said he was standing on a ledge and couldn’t take his problems anymore. He detailed the struggles in his life, breaking down in sobs as the dispatcher listened.
“I’m here to listen to you,” the dispatcher told him. “Let’s talk this over. Just talk to me.”
At one point, the man said he wanted police to shoot him instead. The dispatcher calmly refused.
“No, we won’t do that,” he said. “Let’s keep talking. Let’s talk it over.”
When the caller repeatedly insisted he was “done,” the dispatcher refused to let the conversation end.
“No—let’s keep talking about it,” he said. “I’m here to listen.”
In a moment that showed remarkable empathy, the dispatcher asked the man about something personal.
“Tell me what your favorite thing is.”
The man shared that he had intellectual disabilities caused by an injury and said people often mocked him, making it hard to enjoy life. He also expressed fear of seeing certain first responders, believing they had laughed at him in the past.
The dispatcher reassured him—and adjusted the response accordingly—telling the man they would not send anyone from departments that made him uncomfortable.
“No one is telling you to jump,” the dispatcher repeated when the man said voices were urging him to do so. “Don’t listen to them. Talk to me.”
Even when the caller said they would “find my frozen body in the river,” the dispatcher never raised his voice.
“Let’s not do that,” he said calmly. “We can get you some help.”
After prolonged conversation, the dispatcher persuaded the man to give a general location so help could be sent. When the man suddenly shouted, “I’m jumping right now!” the dispatcher pushed back one more time.
“Nope,” he said firmly but kindly. “You can talk it over with me.”
Moments later, the caller hung up.
While no follow-up report details exactly what happened next, the 911 call was coded as an attempted suicide, indicating first responders were able to reach and assist the man.
For law enforcement and dispatchers alike, suicide calls are among the most emotionally intense they face. In this case, one dispatcher’s steady voice, patience, and refusal to give up may have made the difference between life and death.
If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. You can call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, any time—day or night.
