
A pair of beer truck team drivers saved the life of a suicidal man in Minnesota Wednesday after coaxing him off the ledge with an offer of ice cold beer.
The incident happened on August 15th in St. Paul, Minnesota.
According to Kare 11 News, truck drivers Jason Gabel and Kwame Anderson were making their usual beer delivery on Wednesday when Gabel decided to stray from their usual route and cross the Earl Street bridge, and that’s when the two noticed something out of the ordinary – a man was standing outside the fenced barrier on the Earl Street bridge and appeared dangerously close to jumping.
The two drivers then asked if the man was alright, but he responded with “I am going to commit suicide. Watch me fly,” so Anderson knew he had to do something. He called 911, who told him to await the arrival of emergency personnel, but Anderson thought he had a better idea.
“I started thinking of the Denzel Washington movies where he’s gotta negotiate,” Anderson said.
“I was thinking, I got to build a rapport and give him all of his demands. But first I got to get to know him, so I asked him his name and where he was from… I asked him if he wanted any food. How can I get you down? Do you want something to eat? He said ‘no.’ I said,’ do you need any money?’ I have my wallet in the car. He said, ‘ I don’t need any money. I am not a beggar.’”
Then Anderson decided to offer the man “a drink.”
“Then when he said ‘maybe,’ I was like officers, keep him occupied. I will be right back,” Anderson said.
“I ran to the truck and grabbed a case of Coors Light. Came back with a 12 pack and started talking to him again. I said if you come down off that ledge, this whole pack is yours.”
Officials were then able to lure the man off the ledge with the help of Anderson and his case of beer without much incident.
“I don’t know why I did this. I take a left and I go toward the bridge but usually we always go straight,” Gabel said.
“We have a route that we do every Wednesday and that wasn’t the way I would normally go. It wasn’t part of the plan, but it was God’s plan.”
“Coors Light saves lives,” Anderson added.