In case you missed it, Harry Smith (who currently wrestles in New Japan as Davey Boy Smith Jr., and who won a tag title with Tyson Kidd in WWE as David Hart Smith) had a remarkable experience over the weekend.
As he documented in a post on his Facebook (and that police confirmed to Canada’s Global News), Smith was driving in Calgary when he saw a young woman “crying and hanging off the bridge with someone trying to talk to her.” He pulled over and tried to speak with her, but she threatened to jump if he got closer. So...
“With people on the ground waving her not to jump I decided to grab a hold of her and not take any chances. She started to slide and want to go more as I grabbed a hold her. Luckily my years of grappling and self defense I knew how to grab her HARD and how to pull her up from hanging off and jumping.”
In addition to threatening to jump, the woman also said she had a gun, so once he’d pulled her from the edge, Smith kept her pinned to the ground until the authorities arrived to take her to a hospital for a mental health evaluation:
“She was crying and said she just wanted a hug. But as much as I wanted to hug her I told her I couldn’t hug her because she said she had a gun.
I told her ‘Miss your not going to move unless I want you to, I’m an expert grappler and your [sic] not going to shoot me. We will get you help life is a precious thing and I’m here to help to help you.’”
It’s an amazing story, and one which Harry was rightfully proud of and that his family, like SmackDown Women’s champion Natalya, was excited to share. While it may not have been his intent, it’s also earned Smith the proverbial 15 minutes of fame, with coverage of the story coming from People, Rolling Stone, USA Today and other mainstream outlets picking up the story.
The Hart family member is taking it in stride and using the moment to encourage people who are hurting to ask for help, as he wrote in a follow-up Facebook post:
“I am really happy with all the messages I’ve gotten even from total strangers who had a friend that took their life similar to the girl I saved yesterday. For me saving someone’s life is the greatest accomplishment I’ve ever made, and meant more than winning any championships in Wrestling.
People should never be afraid to ask for help if they need it. And you should never refuse a hand to help somebody in need. Spend time with people that really care about you and love you. Stand tall, be proud and be YOU!
I hope I can continue to influence people when in a positive way when I step foot in the ring, or just in everyday life. Thank you to my fans for your kind words.”
If you or someone you know is hurting and considering suicide, you don’t need a pro wrestler to make a difference. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or ask for help in your area.