SAFE4NOW
05-19-2010, 09:40 PM
Dallas officer spoke softly and carried a big heart to save a life
12:00 AM CDT on Sunday, May 16, 2010
Let's call him Joe. Last month, he stood atop a 10-story parking garage in downtown Dallas, toes hanging over a narrow ledge, ready to go.
"My intention was to go splat right quick," he told me.
But a Dallas cop intervened, and Joe feels so grateful these days for Sgt. Michael Magiera.
Joe is embarrassed by all the commotion he caused that Friday afternoon. That's why he doesn't want his name used.
But he hopes to direct plenty of attention toward Magiera, whose sensitivity saved his life that day, he says, and whose continuing concern has buoyed him in the weeks since.
Joe copied me on a letter of praise for Magiera that he sent to Dallas city leaders. When I wrote back to him, he agreed to a visit in his suburban home last week.
Joe is a 46-year-old professional. He said he has dealt with depression and anxiety issues for about 10 years, but never to the extent they slammed him on April 2.
He said a stormy personal phone call at the office led to a blow-up with his boss and a threatened firing. "That was it," Joe said. "I just went snap."
Though he had never contemplated suicide, it suddenly became his only thought. He went straight from his office to the roof of his parking garage.
He climbed over a low wall there and perched on the 5-inch ledge 10 stories above Pacific Avenue. I shuddered just hearing about it, but Joe felt no fear.
"Not even vaguely," he said. "I don't like heights, but it didn't bother me in the least."
He calmly waited for a clear spot on the busy street and sidewalk below. "I didn't want to land on anybody," he said.
And then up the sidewalk came a Dallas cop. "He hollered something like, 'Please stay there. I'm going to come up and talk.' "
Magiera ran up the 10 flights of stairs. He was winded and his nerves were taut as he walked out on the roof.
He had worked one previous jumper case. "As soon as the first officer approached her, she went right over the edge," he said.
Magiera calmed himself. He didn't want that.
The Dallas Police Department has exemplary training for dealing with people in mental crisis. The officer knew he needed to be low key and non-threatening.
And Joe said he was immediately struck by the officer's relaxed, concerned manner. He said something like, "You're obviously in distress. What's up?"
And that began a conversation that would go on for almost two hours.
Joe turned on the ledge to face the officer, heels dangling in space.
His casualness on the narrow perch unnerved Magiera – especially when Joe let go with one hand and began fishing for a cigarette with the other.
"Suicide is one thing, but I thought he was going to just fall off accidentally," the officer said.
Magiera coaxed Joe to climb back over the wall, and they began to talk in earnest about children (both have two), about life and about its stresses and strains.
Joe admits that he has always had a pretty low opinion of police. " 'Bullyish,' 'redneck,' 'authoritarian' – those are the words that strike me when you say 'cop.' "
But Magiera has forced him to rethink all that. "He's just such a decent guy," Joe said.
Lots of other officers arrived on the scene, including the SWAT team, but Joe eventually agreed to surrender to Magiera and Magiera only. He was taken to Green Oaks Hospital for a week of treatment.
Joe said his admiration for Magiera soared even higher when he found out that the officer was trying to reach him at the hospital to check on him. His third day there, they talked and have talked repeatedly since.
A few days ago, they met for lunch.
"He's a good guy," Magiera said. "He just had a real bad day."
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...g.a195c3e.html
12:00 AM CDT on Sunday, May 16, 2010
Let's call him Joe. Last month, he stood atop a 10-story parking garage in downtown Dallas, toes hanging over a narrow ledge, ready to go.
"My intention was to go splat right quick," he told me.
But a Dallas cop intervened, and Joe feels so grateful these days for Sgt. Michael Magiera.
Joe is embarrassed by all the commotion he caused that Friday afternoon. That's why he doesn't want his name used.
But he hopes to direct plenty of attention toward Magiera, whose sensitivity saved his life that day, he says, and whose continuing concern has buoyed him in the weeks since.
Joe copied me on a letter of praise for Magiera that he sent to Dallas city leaders. When I wrote back to him, he agreed to a visit in his suburban home last week.
Joe is a 46-year-old professional. He said he has dealt with depression and anxiety issues for about 10 years, but never to the extent they slammed him on April 2.
He said a stormy personal phone call at the office led to a blow-up with his boss and a threatened firing. "That was it," Joe said. "I just went snap."
Though he had never contemplated suicide, it suddenly became his only thought. He went straight from his office to the roof of his parking garage.
He climbed over a low wall there and perched on the 5-inch ledge 10 stories above Pacific Avenue. I shuddered just hearing about it, but Joe felt no fear.
"Not even vaguely," he said. "I don't like heights, but it didn't bother me in the least."
He calmly waited for a clear spot on the busy street and sidewalk below. "I didn't want to land on anybody," he said.
And then up the sidewalk came a Dallas cop. "He hollered something like, 'Please stay there. I'm going to come up and talk.' "
Magiera ran up the 10 flights of stairs. He was winded and his nerves were taut as he walked out on the roof.
He had worked one previous jumper case. "As soon as the first officer approached her, she went right over the edge," he said.
Magiera calmed himself. He didn't want that.
The Dallas Police Department has exemplary training for dealing with people in mental crisis. The officer knew he needed to be low key and non-threatening.
And Joe said he was immediately struck by the officer's relaxed, concerned manner. He said something like, "You're obviously in distress. What's up?"
And that began a conversation that would go on for almost two hours.
Joe turned on the ledge to face the officer, heels dangling in space.
His casualness on the narrow perch unnerved Magiera – especially when Joe let go with one hand and began fishing for a cigarette with the other.
"Suicide is one thing, but I thought he was going to just fall off accidentally," the officer said.
Magiera coaxed Joe to climb back over the wall, and they began to talk in earnest about children (both have two), about life and about its stresses and strains.
Joe admits that he has always had a pretty low opinion of police. " 'Bullyish,' 'redneck,' 'authoritarian' – those are the words that strike me when you say 'cop.' "
But Magiera has forced him to rethink all that. "He's just such a decent guy," Joe said.
Lots of other officers arrived on the scene, including the SWAT team, but Joe eventually agreed to surrender to Magiera and Magiera only. He was taken to Green Oaks Hospital for a week of treatment.
Joe said his admiration for Magiera soared even higher when he found out that the officer was trying to reach him at the hospital to check on him. His third day there, they talked and have talked repeatedly since.
A few days ago, they met for lunch.
"He's a good guy," Magiera said. "He just had a real bad day."
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...g.a195c3e.html