'Definition of a hero': Woman's heartwarming note for police officer who saved her life
A woman has penned a heartwarming message for a police officer who saved her life in her “darkest hour”.
Auckland woman Jazz Thornton wrote on Facebook on Monday that in July 2015 she believed “that life was not worth living”.
“It was late, dark and cold as I thought back on my life and everything that had happened and how much I had messed up,” Ms Thornton wrote.
“I had run out of my house down to the local park and began to start the process of taking my life.
“With tears streaming down my face, I text out my final goodbye.”
As she prepared to take her own life, a police officer arrived and quickly intervened.
“You held me there while I resisted, you called for backup and attempted to calm me down,” Ms Thornton wrote.
“Your partner cut me down and you both carried me to the police car while I was kicking and crying.
“Putting me in the back of the car, you came around the other side and sat with me, putting your arms around me while I cried my heart out.”
The officer, named as Constable Meika Campbell, stayed with Ms Thornton and held her as an ambulance arrived all the while telling the woman about the value of life.
‘I believe in you’
When the ambulance arrived, Constable Campbell sat with Ms Thornton and refused to leave her side all the way to hospital.
“We arrived, I was scared, I hated myself and couldn’t express the emotions I was feeling,” Ms Thornton wrote.
“You sat with me on the hospital bed, continuing to speak into my future and telling me of the hope you knew. Hours past and your shift had ended and you were still by my side.”
When she eventually left, Constable Campbell gave her number to Ms Thornton and told her she wanted to hear from her in the morning.
“I believe in you. You can do this,” she told Ms Thornton.
“You need to make it to your 21st birthday and if you can do that for me, I will come and find you on that day to say happy birthday.”
‘Over and beyond’ the call of duty
Some time later, when Ms Thornton reached the milestone of her 21st birthday, she was surprised to find Constable Campbell on her doorstep.
True to her word, the officer had arrived “to celebrate the fact I was still alive and fighting”.
The woman wrote Constable Campbell went “over and beyond”.
“Thank you Constable Campbell for not only physically saving my life that night, but for speaking hope, for sitting with me, crying with me and seeing a future for me that at that point, I couldn’t see,” she wrote.
“A future I am now living in.”
The post has been shared more than 10,000 times with people praising Constable Campbell.
“A beautiful story,” one woman wrote.
“So glad you are doing well and living your best life Jazz. Congratulations Constable Campbell for not only doing your job so well, but for being such a beautiful person and caring and showing love to a complete stranger in their time of need and beyond.”
Others called the police officer “amazing”, “a hero” and an “angel”.
“This is just such a great outcome for two beautiful human beings,” another woman wrote.
“This story brings so many tears but also so much joy that you survived this. Truly amazing.”
Ms Thornton has since become an advocate for mental health awareness.
She recently shared a photo with the police officer after sharing her story at a conference.
“I got to sit and thank her for everything, telling her of all I get to do now,” she wrote.
“For going above and beyond, for caring, for speaking hope and for choosing to see a person above an illness.
“You are the definition of a hero.”
Yahoo News Australia has reached out to New Zealand Police for comment.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636, Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.
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