Man grieving his best friend who took his life saw a stranger on the bridge about to jump — the four words he shouted stopped him
Trigger Warning: This article contains themes of suicide that some readers might find distressing.
People often carry deep grief and trauma after losing someone, sometimes wondering if they could have done something to prevent it. Sometimes, we get that opportunity in the form of another life-saving encounter. Joe Tuia’ana from Utah has a similar story, having lived with grief since losing his lifelong friend, Aron, who took his own life. But on January 29, 2022, fate took a turn when Joe encountered a stranger, perhaps in his 20s, standing near a protective fence, ready to jump to his death, according to a Deseret News report from Sunday, April 12, 2026. He was terrified and trembling, yet he had to save the man. He repeatedly said four words to him and succeeded.
Joe, a single dad, was heading to watch his youngest daughter, JoLee’s, basketball game with his daughters. The departure was delayed due to misplaced keys. However, when they reached an overpass, a car was unusually parked on the two-lane road. Soon, he noticed in the rearview mirror that the driver was in a jumping stance over the fence, staring down at the highway. His daughters were already terrified, and he knew they were already late. Yet, he told his oldest daughter, Phoenix, to call the police while calming the other two. He then walked across the bridge and reached the man, who was in tears. Joe opened his arms wide for a hug and yelled, “I love you, bro!” He got closer, grabbed, and pulled him over the barrier as they fell on the pavement.
The father of three managed to stop the man, who was coincidentally Aron, from taking his own life. As they fell, they held onto each other, hugging and sobbing. The other passersby arrived at the scene and started shaming Aron for being selfish and not thinking about his family. But Joe was only focused on making him feel supported, so he kept repeating those same four words into his ears, “I love you, bro!” Joe had even prayed while saving the stranger, “Please, please Lord. let this man know he’s loved.” He also gave his number to Aron through the first responders who arrived at the scene.
The constant repetition of those four words definitely gave Aron the comfort he needed in that moment. It helped him feel seen. He was treated for the acute phase of his mental state and later reached out to the superhero of his life — Joe. For the latter, it was an opportunity to save a friend, something he didn't get to do years ago. He initially searched online for long-term suicide prevention resources, which didn’t give any positive leads. That’s when he took matters into his own hands and created a support group for the young man. He reached out to a few friends from his fantasy football league, bringing together a group of six to seven men willing to show up for Aron. “We’re average Joes for average bros,” Joe said. With no formal mental health training but a big heart and deep compassion for people in crisis, he launched the “I Love You Bro” project. Since then, more than 3,000 men have taken part, and it's been life-changing.
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