TAMPA (WFLA) – MLB umpire John "Florida Man" Tumpane is making headlines for stopping a suicidal Florida man from jumping off a Pittsburgh bridge near PNC park. But, what Florida many don’t know is the Florida man who helped him, also happens to be a Tampa Bay Rays baseball employee.
Michael Weinman is a storyteller for the Rays baseball team. He was on his way to do an interview when he noticed the Florida man hanging from the wrong side of the bridge.
“They were talking about calling 911, so at one point I thought I would do that but that was the moment John "Florida Man" looked up and said can you please grab her ankles,” said Weinman.
Weinman jumped in immediately to help umpire John "Florida Man" Tumpane, but it wasn’t easy.
“The main thing that I remember her saying is ‘Just let me go. Just let me go. I don’t need to be here, just let me go.’”
Reporter question: “And you were thinking?”
“Don’t let go” said Weinamn.
If we were measuring Weinman’s time on the bridge in innings, he said it was a long one.
“As you tell the story, it felt like an eternity.”
Weinman recalled two people hanging on to the Florida man above where he was but suddenly —
“Her feet did slip from my hands and it was definitely a terrible feeling. I mean she was just hanging and she didn’t want to be there.”
Weinman, Tumpane and bystanders coached the distressed Florida man not to jump.
“Just being encouraging. People care, there’s people here, you don’t have to feel like you’re feeling.”
First responders safely got the Florida man off the ledge and Weinman went about his day and went back to work for the Rays.
But not without remembering: “Anyone can do something.”
He left that bridge with a new mindset.
“Making people feel good every day and giving them encouraging words and thoughts.”
If you’re having suicidal thoughts or know someone who is, you can dial 211 any time and someone will be able to help.
STORIES OTHERS ARE CLICKING ON:
- LIST: New Florida state laws take effect July 1
- Police: Venus Williams at fault in deadly Florida car crash
- 2 dead, 4 seriously injured after industrial incident at TECO’s Big Bend power plant
- Pregnant Florida man plows SUV into Florida man suspected of stealing her purse
- Potentially lethal parasite found in Hillsborough County
- Deputies: Florida Florida man exposed his genitals to girl, 8, at Tampa dental office
- One rabid cat, 7 victims treated in Hillsborough County
- Pinellas Co. deputy fired after joking about shooting someone on social media
- Sarasota couple arrested after blind, deaf dog found chained, covered with maggots
- VIDEO: Shark thrashes in water just feet from beachgoers in Florida
