She asked me not to ask her name, he says
Hero! This is the name of Yordan Yordanov from Varna, who two weeks ago prevented the suicide of an elderly woman on the Asparuhov Bridge. The man’s courageous act became known thanks to a video that he himself posted on social networks. It shows Jordan grabbing the lady by the waist and managing to persuade her to get off the railing to prevent the worst from happening. Unfortunately, during this time no other car stops to help him.
The arriving police patrol takes the old woman to the hospital for examination. Doctors diagnose depression. A little later, she was taken unharmed to her home.
In just a few minutes, the video Yordanov posted on his profile blew up the Internet. Shared by thousands, it causes a real storm of emotions. Most thank the man for the act and describe it as heroic. Others are quick to reproach him for advertising his video.
For the woman’s savior, however, negative comments are irrelevant. He was even awarded a certificate of appreciation by the Good Examples platform. Today, Jordan says that he does not define himself as a hero and that the most important thing is to be good people.
Before “168 hours” he revealed why he decided to help the lady.
– Mr. Yordanov, more than two weeks ago you saved a woman from suicide on the Asparuhov Bridge. What made you stop while the others drove by?
“To be perfectly honest, it was only my conscience that made me stop the car and go back to see what was happening.” At first I thought he might just be sitting there, but it was logical that an elderly woman had nothing to do in this place at this time of day. I told myself I had to go to her. I looked in the mirrors, but cars were passing everywhere because of rush hour.
There was no way right away
to stop so as not to
become white
I was already about 500 meters behind the woman, the bridge was coming to an end and there was no choice but to turn around and get back on the road. I thought I was very slow and she had already thrown herself. I had 112 written on the phone in my hand, but I couldn’t wait.
I immediately got out of the car and walked towards her. I didn’t think of anything on the way there, only how to keep her from getting worse. I started talking to her, holding her tight so she wouldn’t decide to do something unexpected. I was calm, I wasn’t worried, because I knew that when I was close to her, nothing would happen. I managed to calm her down, she looked very worried. During this time, many cars passed. I can’t tell you the number, but I think there were at least 100. He stopped only one car, and the woman said it was a police officer. She also has a conscience and as a police officer she clearly felt obliged to help. None of the others, whistling with dirty gas, even asked what was going on. I remember a taxi driver stopping, I told him, “Will you help keep the woman from getting worse?” And he said, “I can’t, they’ll hit my car.” Then he left immediately. This made me so angry! I wonder how you can think of other things at a time like this when a person needs urgent help. If there is no good, we are lost. You can’t close your eyes to strangers and think about your own because you don’t know what might happen next. No one is sure whether his grandmother, mother or other relative will not be on the same bridge tomorrow, the day after tomorrow or after many years.
“What did the old woman tell you after you took her off the ramp?”
“She was extremely upset.” She was worried. He said, “Don’t ask me for my names, please.” She explained to me that she was stressed and severe, that she was not feeling well and that she was depressed. After we took her down, a patrol car came. We put her in it and shook hands. That was it. She looked like a good woman, but she seemed crushed by life. I don’t know what her profession was years ago, but she certainly worked hard for this country. To try to commit suicide – it is obvious that she had difficulties.
An acquaintance told me some time ago about a teacher who also took her own life. She had a long experience, respected by colleagues and students, by all the people around her. In the end, however, the low pension makes her do the worst.
– In the following days, did you manage to talk to the woman you saved?
– No, I was told by the district that they do not have her name. I found out that they examined her and she had no mental disorders, after which they released her. I keep looking for her, but without success. Her relatives also did not try to contact me.
– Why do you think all these cars did not stop helping?
“If she had already jumped, if she had committed suicide, there would have been those who would stop and watch.” I’m sorry to say this, but there are so many people who would enjoy watching someone else’s misfortune. As if to reassure themselves that they are not in this place. There was no humanity at that moment, and that is the most important thing.
Everyone who passed
from there, they could see clearly
how do i hold her
how she is sitting, how I am telling her something. It’s close to my mind that I’m obviously trying to help her, not that we’re just sitting there. Everyone remembered what was happening, but no one stopped except the policewoman.
I wondered if they had then wondered what had happened to the woman, if I had been able to help her. Probably shortly after they saw us, they forgot about us. I can’t imagine it, but there are people like that. I wish it weren’t so.
– Why did you decide to publish the video in which you save the elderly lady on the Internet?
– My idea was only one – I wanted to show how in this difficult time when a person needs urgent help, no one wants to respond and lend a hand. They pass him by as a road sign, not realizing that tomorrow they may be in his place.
After I released the video, it very quickly gathered hundreds of comments and reactions from a variety of people. I avoided reading them so as not to anger those who would reproach me for rushing to my aid immediately to do some PR. Of course, I couldn’t help but take a quick look at them.
I met support from many people who greeted me and wrote that if they had been there, they would have stopped too. Even a girl told me that her friend had jumped off a bridge in the same way years ago and died on the spot. There was no one to stop her and ask her why she was doing it, to catch her and not let her jump.
Many people told their stories. However, there was also criticism that this was almost an advertisement. What advertising? To what? I am neither famous nor have a business that I have to advertise to myself.
The video shows that there is a lack of humanity, not that I have done something great. Thanks to the people who understood what the idea was. I just want to add why I shot the video itself. I did it to protect myself in case the woman fell. The moment I was next to her, someone could take pictures with a phone. If the worst had happened, they could have accused me of pushing her, for example. I just had to insure myself.
– Do you feel like a hero?
– By no means do I feel like a hero. I definitely say no! I do not take this as a heroic act, because it is right to do so. We should not look at this as something strange, something different or a precedent.
It has to happen often.
It costs absolutely nothing
nothing to help
man in trouble but
feeling after
as you did
is wonderful
I’m not saying I’m a better person than anyone else. I don’t feel that way, but every day and every minute I try to be. Maybe the reason for this is that when I was 21, I was diagnosed with a malignant tumor. I was diagnosed with cancer.
I went to chemotherapy, I wasn’t on my own. In the end, I was tired of surgeries, of hospitals, but there was no way. I had to fight for the disease to go away. It seemed to make me stronger and much more sensitive to people who needed help.
– Were there other such moments when you helped someone?
– I do not want to talk about it, because it will come out as a kind of boast. I have helped people in need, but I will limit myself to these words. When I had the opportunity, I always extended a hand. Even now I am working on something that aims to help a child. If each of us helps someone, the world will be a better place.
– What do you do professionally?
– I work in a company that deals with wrought iron. We make, for example, doors, railings. I like it, I’m not complaining. I’m not the richest, but I’m happy to go to work because I do it with love. I come from a poor family, but I’m not ashamed.
“24 Hours” nominated Yordan Yordanov for his initiative “Worthy Bulgarians of the Year”.
– .