Lorry driver who helped stop man jumping from M62 bridge says police were the real heroes

The lorry driver who gained viral fame last week for parking his vehicle under a motorway bridge to stop a young man from jumping off has spoken out about the incident.

Last week, a striking image showing a young man sitting on the edge of a bridge on the M62 as police officers stood either side of him went viral after a community support group in Leeds posted it onto their Facebook page.

Thankfully, a lorry driver had seen the incident unfold as he approached and went on to park up underneath the bridge to prevent the man from jumping. Police were eventually able to talk the man out of jumping, and he was safely escorted away from the bridge.

Ever since the story broke, people have been hailing the driver of the lorry a ‘hero’ and applauding him for his quick thinking. 

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However, the driver of the famed lorry doesn’t quite see himself as a hero.

Speaking to Proper Manchester, Tom, a dad of three from Kendal, recalled the moment he realised something ‘wasn’t quite right’ with the three figures on the bridge.

He explained: “Thanks to truck spotters and photographers, seeing people on bridges isn’t too uncommon, it isn’t anything out of the ordinary. But from the distance, something didn’t look right.

“As I got closer and as I could start to see clearly, I realised that with the three people on the bridge, two were stood on either side of the one in the centre. I realised the one in the middle was sat on the opposite side of the barrier with his legs hanging down.”

Tom explained that he immediately put his hazards on and started slowly weaving between the lanes and the hard shoulder – a move amongst truckers to communicate that they haven’t broken down, but there’s an issue ahead. From there, he was able to bring his truck to a controlled stop under the bridge where the man was sitting.

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He remained there for around an hour and a half to two hours while the officers above coaxed the young man down from the bridge.

Tom and his wife Kayleigh were inundated with messages following the incident, with Tom being widely praised for his actions and even dubbed a ‘hero.’ However, Tom doesn’t see it this way.

He explained: “I was a guy in the right place at the right time. I spotted something and I did my good deed for the day. All I did was park a truck under a bridge, and I somehow managed to get 100% of the praise, which seems wrong.

“To me, it almost seems fraudulent because the police were the ones to do all the work.”

Tom revealed that the police officers on the scene were actually subject to abuse from frustrated drivers who were caught up in the delays: “It took me minutes to do what I did – not even that, just one minute – the police were the ones taking abuse from members of the public because the incident had disturbed their day.

“The police were the ones who talked with him the entire time and the negotiator came in without having to grab him, and got him to willingly come across to the other side of the barrier, get into the car, and go with them.

“And after that, once I’d gone and was tucked up in bed that night, they were still working. They were still helping this lad. I categorically do not think I was the hero in this story.”

Tom, who has suffered from anxiety for most of his life, was delighted to hear that the young man on the bridge saw a doctor after the incident and is now receiving help.

He said: “I suffer from anxiety myself – I actually have my own mental health issues, I’ve been to some dark places previously. I’m glad [the story] brought awareness to a problem that’s been ongoing for far too long but no, I’m not the hero.”

If you or anyone you know has been suffering with mental health issues, you can call the Samaritans at 116 123, or CALM at 0800 58 58 58. Alternatively, you can find local mental health services and more info here.

You can follow Tom’s trucking vlog series here.