On the way to shoot a music video, rapper Clifford “T.I.” Harris caught word that a man was threatening to end his life by jumping off of a 22-story building in Atlanta yesterday. He immediately went to the area where the police had blocked off (for security purposes) and asked the authorities if he could help.
T.I. talked to the guy via video message (probably not in rhyme) and according to TMZ said, “I want to speak to you, and that it’s not that bad. I’m willing to do whatever it is to help the situation, but I can’t do that unless you help me help you.” Fifteen minutes later, the man backed away from the ledge and came down.
T.I. is unexpectedly the perfect role model in this situation, despite his trouble with the law when he was arrested with drug and weapons charges. He’s been through bad times, and now he has the perspective and insight to see that people can change.
Once the man was on ground level, T.I. said to him, “No matter how bad things get, they get better … if you unplug the game, then you don’t get extra men … when it gets bad, you feel bad, but it can get better.” The man (whose identity has not been revealed) was taken to Atlanta’s Grady Memorial Hospital for further care.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in 2007, suicide was the 10th leading cause of death in the US, accounting for 34,598 deaths, and thanks to T.I.’s care, that number will be one less. The rapper said he has every intention of staying in touch with the young man whose life he saved. Talk about a random (and awesome) act of kindness!
CNN interviews T.I. on what happened:
Photo by Crickontour via Flickr.