Radio host credited with helping to save man who called in on-air during suicide attempt
A British radio host is being hailed as a hero for staying on the phone with a suicidal man who called his radio show.
A man named Chris, believed to be from Plymouth, England, called in to U.K. radio host Iain Lee’s show, The Late Night Alternative, on Wednesday evening and said he had overdosed.
Chris said he was lying on the street outside a Plymouth nightclub and was dying.
Lee calmly talked to Chris, keeping him on the line long enough to work out some important information, while a show producer called emergency services for help.
Tonight we took a call from a man who had taken an overdose. He was lying in a street in Plymouth, dying. We managed to keep him online, get a description of what he looked like and was wearing, work out where he was and send an ambulance and police to him. Kept him on the phone
— Iain Lee – talkRADIO (@iainlee) December 20, 2018
Shortly after the dramatic exchange, Lee informed his followers on Twitter exactly what had unfolded.
“Tonight we took a call from a man who had taken an overdose. He was lying in a street in Plymouth, dying,” he explained.
“We managed to keep him online, get a description of what he looked like and was wearing, work out where he was and send an ambulance and police to him. Kept him on the phone for 30 minutes while he got harder to understand.
“Long periods of silence where I thought he’d died. F*** that was intense and upsetting,” he tweeted.
The Sun reported that an ambulance spokesman confirmed the radio station staff had helped save the man’s life.
Thanks everyone for your kind words. Been an odd day for so many reasons. I really appreciate your kind words.
Back on air at 10pm.
— Iain Lee – talkRADIO (@iainlee) December 20, 2018
Lee has retweeted several tweets praising his efforts, as well as tweets from Inspector Kev Morley, a response inspector in Plymouth, who assured Lee’s listeners that his police team had successfully dealt with the incident.
“My officers that attended and are now dealing with the caller. This is a very typical call for us sadly and December is a hard month for many. We will do our best to direct him to long-term support,” Morley wrote.
If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, call 911, or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255, or text HOME to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:
Why people are more likely to overdose after they’ve been sober
Demi Lovato reportedly took ‘aftermarket pills’: Here’s what that means
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