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This Morning viewers praise brave school boys who saved suicidal man’s life

What incredible young men.

This Morning viewers have lavished praise on three heroic school boys who stopped a suicidal man from jumping off a bridge.

Devonte Cafferkey, Sammy Farah and Shawn Young – who have a combined age of just 39 – were commended by the police for their “incredible bravery” after they saved the stranger’s life.

Viewers were stunned by the young boys’ courage as they recounted how they talked the man into staying put on the bridge until help arrived.

The three young boys showed bravery beyond their years [Credit: ITV]
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Speaking calmly, Devonte told Holly and Phil: “Some guy had walked past us and said, ‘This guy is crazy, he’s going to kill himself’. We were persuading him not to jump and stuff like that.

“He was crying and wiping his eyes while we persuaded him not to jump. We were telling him, ‘You’ve got family, it’s not worth it’.

They also told the stranger he was young and had his whole life ahead.

Shawn added: “I was scared – I didn’t want anyone to see him dead and I didn’t want anyone to be put through that.”

Holly and Phil were amazed at the trio’s courage at such a young age [Credit: ITV]
Devonte explained that he and Sammy kept the man calm while Shawn ran for help.

“We was keeping him calm so he didn’t quickly jump off and Shawn got help. Me and Sammy were holding him, then a lady came and we all started holding him before the police came,” he said.”

The trio said they stayed with the man even after emergency services arrived as they’d built up a rapport with him.

He later visited them to say thank you, gifting them vouchers and flowers for their help.

They said the man later visited them to say thank you for talking him down [Credit: ITV]
Viewers took to social media in droves to praise the young boys for their brave actions.

One wrote: “Literally emotional at these three boys. Cannot believe they had the courage to step up and save someone’s life.”

Another said: “The parents of these wonderful young boys must be so, so proud of them! I am and I ain’t even their mum!”

Another viewer commented: “These three young boys… God love them, what wonderful young men they are.”

A fourth added: “What three wonderful, brave boys. Such courageous thing they’ve done.”

And a fifth agreed: “3 young, 14 year old school boys saving a man from taking his own life, true bravery and at such a young age.”

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The boys were joined on the sofa by a man named Jonny Benjamin who once stood on Waterloo Bridge about to take his own life, before someone intervened and talked to him.

Addressing his own situation, he said: “That was the day I say my recovery started. Someone gave me hope. This guy stayed with me and said, don’t do it, think of your family. It made me change my mind, which isn’t easy. To change that mindset in someone takes a lot.”

He told the boys: “You guys are my heroes. I don’t think you realise how brave you guys are. To do that takes so much courage, especially guys your age. It’s just incredible.”

Indeed they are.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor

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