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Kevin Hines
Hines in 2018
Born
John Kevin Hines

(1981-08-30) August 30, 1981 (age 43)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Motivational speaker and advocate for suicide prevention
Years active2000–present
Known forSurviving a suicide attempt by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge

John Kevin Hines (born August 30, 1981) is an American suicide prevention speaker who attempted suicide by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California in 2000 at the age of 19.[1] His story gained major media coverage and he has since become a motivational speaker and advocate for suicide prevention.

Hines has been featured on CNN,[2] HuffPost,[3] ABC News,[4] Larry King Now,[5] and The Today Show.[6] He has spoken at schools, colleges, and universities to share his story.[7] He co-founded the Kevin and Margaret Hines Foundation (KMHF), a 501(c)(3) organization based in Atlanta, Georgia, that provides funding and education for suicide prevention in the United States and elsewhere.

Early life

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When Hines was nine months old, he was adopted by Pat and Debbie Hines in the San Francisco area. At the age of ten, he was put on Tegretol to help control his epileptic seizures. After being taken off the drug at the age of 16, he began experiencing symptoms of bipolar disorder. Hines was also upset by the suicide of his drama teacher. In September 2000, he wrote a suicide note.[8]

Suicide attempt

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On Monday, September 25, 2000, Hines traveled by bus to the Golden Gate Bridge.[8] ABC News reported Hines began hearing voices in his head telling him to die.[4] Hines threw himself over the rail. After leaping, Hines instantly felt regret.[9] He turned himself around to land in the water legs first. Hines says that after he surfaced, a sea lion helped to keep him afloat until he was rescued by the Coast Guard.[10][11]

Hines tells his story to at-risk groups around the nation and urges people to get treatment for mental illness to help them realize that suicide is not the answer.[12] As of 2018, he was working as a mental-health advocate.[13]

Public and media appearances

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Hines has been featured by CNN,[2] HuffPost,[3] ABC News,[4][14] Larry King Now,[5] The Today Show,[6] BuzzFeed,[15] PBS,[16] 9 news Australia,[17] The New York Post,[18] Time,[19] Business Insider,[20] Newsweek,[21] Forbes,[22] Fox News,[23] and other media outlets.

Hines also co-wrote and starred in the documentary Film, Suicide: The Ripple Effect, which was awarded Best Story at the Nice International Film Festival in Nice, France, in 2018.[24]

Activism

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Hines's mission, through his Kevin and Margaret Hines Foundation, is to provide mental health education and suicide prevention information through worldwide public speaking engagements and research initiatives. He has a YouTube channel that focuses on mental health.[25] He campaigned for the installation of a safety net around the Golden Gate Bridge to catch people who jump. When Hines saw the first parts of the net, he wept and said, "This is one of the most special days of my life".[10] The net was completed in 2023 and according to the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District has already contributed to reducing suicides.[26]

Awards and nominations

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References

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  1. ^ Warner, Lizz (9 December 2015). "This Guy Jumped Off The Golden Gate Bridge And Survived To Tell His Story". BuzzFeed.com. BuzzFeed. Retrieved 2018-11-13.
  2. ^ a b Smith, Stephanie. "Funding for Golden Gate Bridge suicide barrier approved - CNN". CNN. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  3. ^ a b "Kevin Hines Is Still Alive". Huffington Post. 2013-07-19. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  4. ^ a b c Zouves, Natasha (2017-05-19). "Second Chances: 'I survived jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge'". ABC7 San Francisco. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  5. ^ a b Larry King (2018-07-25), Kevin Hines survived jumping off The Golden Gate Bridge, retrieved 2018-11-14
  6. ^ a b "This man jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge – and lived". TODAY.com. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  7. ^ "Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado - Free Webinar- Kevin Hines Story: Triumph Over Adversity". suicidepreventioncoalitionofcolorado.wildapricot.org. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  8. ^ a b Weiss, Mike (2005-01-11). "Lethal Beauty / A Survivor's Story: A jumper advocates for a barrier and makes a new life. The third in a seven-part series on the Golden Gate Bridge barrier debate". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2019-08-17.
  9. ^ Bower, Amanda (2006-05-24). "A Survivor Talks About His Leap". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
  10. ^ a b Bergeron, Ryan (2019-08-12). "He jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge and survived. Now, he's seeing his wish for a safety net come true". CNN. Retrieved 2019-08-17.
  11. ^ "Sea Lion Savior", Kevin Hines 2013-06-05
  12. ^ "He jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge . . . and lived!". New York Post. 2013-06-30. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
  13. ^ "Kevin Hines Is Still Alive". Retrieved 2018-11-26.
  14. ^ "Man Survives Suicide Jump From Golden Gate Bridge". ABC News. 2006-04-28. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  15. ^ "This Guy Jumped Off The Golden Gate Bridge And Survived To Tell His Story". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  16. ^ The Enemy Within - Kevin Hines and Joe Williams | Wyoming News and Public Affairs, retrieved 2018-11-14
  17. ^ "Kevin Hines: Golden Gate Bridge jump survivor a shining beacon of hope". www.9news.com.au. 20 August 2018. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  18. ^ "He jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge . . . and lived!". New York Post. 2013-06-30. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  19. ^ Bower, Amanda (2006-05-24). "A Survivor Talks About His Leap". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  20. ^ "Logan Paul returns to YouTube with a documentary about suicide survivors: 'I know I've let people down'". Business Insider. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  21. ^ "Logan Paul released a new video on suicide". Newsweek. 2018-01-24. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  22. ^ Herper, Matthew. "Robin Williams' Death Shows Suicide Can Strike At Any Age. Here Are Ways To Prevent It". Forbes. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  23. ^ Fox News (2018-06-08), Regretting suicide attempt, survivor works to save lives, retrieved 2018-11-14
  24. ^ "Best Story | Nice IFF 2018 – Film Fest International". www.filmfestinternational.com. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
  25. ^ "Kevin Hines". YouTube. Retrieved 2018-11-16.
  26. ^ "San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge gets suicide net after 87 years". BBC News. 4 January 2024.
  27. ^ "AFSP Save a Life Gala 2017". 93.3 WMMR. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  28. ^ "Announcement of MHA 2016 Award Winners". Mental Health America. 2016-05-05. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  29. ^ "Honoring Kevin Hines: "Mental Health Champion" Awardee - Young Minds Advocacy". www.ymadvocacy.org. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  30. ^ NoStigmas (2016-09-02). "NoStigmas to host 'Celebrate Life' wellness fair Sept. 10 in Chicago". Daily Herald. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
  31. ^ "Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients The Grahams & Kevin Hines Featured at National Council Conference". archive.constantcontact.com. Retrieved 2018-11-14.
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