'There's more to life:' Deputies save teen from jumping off parking garage

Video shows dramatic rescue

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A Volusia County deputy and other first responders offered words of wisdom moments after they grabbed a 16-year-old boy just as he was about to jump off the roof of a parking garage.

Deputies said the teen ran to the ledge after a hearing at the Volusia County Courthouse upset him Thursday afternoon. The boy stood at the ledge of the parking garage threatening to jump as deputies, DeLand police officers and a Department of Children case worker urged him to come back to safety.

While he was on the ledge, the boy requested to speak with courthouse deputy Wayne Jones, who was present for the hearing.

Video from Sgt. Steven Edgecomb's body camera shows the first responders spring into action as the teen pushed off the ledge. They worked together to grab the boy and pull him back onto the roof.

"There's more to life, I know you don't see it right now, but there's more to life," Edgecomb told the teen moments after the rescue. "Whatever you're going through, it can be worked through."

Others on the scene also tried to calm the teen and encourage him to not give up hope.

"Every single one of these people here cares about you," another rescuer said.

The boy suffered a few cuts from the concrete, but was otherwise uninjured. He was taken into protective custody under the Baker Act.

Crisis counselors at locally operated centers across the U.S. are available 24 hours a day through The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-8255 or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org.


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