Columbia man safe after being pulled off bridge by deputy

On Patrol Live captured the moments of Cpl. Kenny Fitzsimmons rescuing a man who was sitting on the edge of a bridge in Columbia.

RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. (WOLO) – One young man is safe after the efforts of a Richland County Sheriff’s Deputy and it all played out on tv.

On January 12th, On Patrol Live captured the moments of Cpl. Kenny Fitzsimmons rescuing a man who was sitting on the edge of a bridge in Columbia. Cpl. Fitzsimmons says the 26-year-old male was sitting on the edge crying and staring at the traffic below. 

Cpl Fitzsimmons stayed by the man’s side until his father arrived. And while the young man never said a word, Cpl. Fitzsimmons says he was listening. 

“I was letting him know that he is not alone. I even started opening up and giving my own personal experiences. I’ve got military experience, I’ve dealt with PTSD, and I’ve gone through a lot of my own demons. I still have my own demons but you just got to not give up. That is the main thing: don’t give up.” 

Cpl Fitzsimmons says deputies are trained to deal with suicide situations but in moments like these it is the love and care that comes from the heart that helps the most. “I just happened to have a camera crew with me that day. That is probably the fourth or fifth person I’ve pulled off a bridge.”