SOLOMONS, Md. – On September 19, Tanya Washington, an employee of The BayNet, helped save a man from jumping off the Thomas Johnson Bridge in Solomons.
After months of tragic incidents on the bridge, it’s great to finally see a more positive outcome. Everyone here at The BayNet is proud of Washington for taking the initiative to help save a man’s life.
Washington was carpooling two passengers when she noticed a young man walking on the bridge. She decided to turn around to make sure the young man was safe.
When she reached the young man, she noticed he was preparing to jump, that’s when she stopped the car to try and help him.
“When I saw him put his hand on the ledge, I stopped and put my window down and told him not to jump,” Washington said.
“I just stopped my vehicle in the middle of the bridge, got out, and ran across traffic to get to him. I asked him not to jump, I told him I can’t swim, and I told him to not jump because I’ll have to try and save him… I told him I don’t know what you’re going through, but my name is Ms. Washington, what is your name? He told me his name, and throughout the conversation, I kept repeating his name so he knew that I knew who he was and that he’s important…”
“I told him that I choose him as a friend and that I will treat him like family. You’re not able to choose your family, but you can choose your friends, and I told him I choose you,” she said.
Eventually, along with the assistance of one of her passengers, Washington was able to convince the young man to take her arm and hug her.
The young man was then assisted by Calvert County Police Officers and was taken to a nearby hospital for support.
“There’s no harm in trying,” says Washington. “You never know what someone is going through, It can be a calm word that can save someone, It can even be a kind gesture or smile that can really make a difference in someone’s life.”
Contact our news desk at news@thebaynet.com
What an amazing lady and amazing thing to do! We need more people like MS. Washington in this world. This touched my heart! I hope he gets the help he needs.
Ms. Washington is a hero!
Ms. Washington went above and beyond. Positive story. We need more people like her. I am proud of her.
Thank you Tonya !!!! The world would be better with more folks like you .
We need more people to help these people not to jump off that bridge. MS. WASHINGTON did super job talking to that guy..
OMG! You are an amazing woman who really cares! God Bless you. With all the crap from the networks and social media, it’s good to here this kind news. I hope baynet posts this message and doesn’t censor it.
Ms. Washington I was just beginning to cross the bridge when he was walking at the same time! I was wondering myself if he was going to jump, I called 911 and reported him! God placed you there to save this young man! Your words to him made me cry this morning, just knowing he was safe! God bless you!
This touched my heart. THANK YOU Ms Washington God Bless You
You are a true blessing in this world. Thank you for being there for that young man. God bless!
Thank you for saving his life!!!
God bless that young man and this kindness that this lady gave. Wow my heart is overwhelmed! She is a angel in disguise. Bless you both !
You were in the right place. Kindness and humanity go a long way. Thank you for having both those traits. You are truly a hero!
Thank you Ms. Washington, you are a hero!
God bless you for doing that and being in the right place at the right time. You saved a Mothers child, a Fathers child, maybe a brother, but most importantly a life!
You Ms. Washington are a true angel. God bless you for helping this young man! I’m sure he and his family are very grateful for reached out to him. Praying your friendship with him flourishes! ❤️
Awesome and so very proud of this young woman for making a huge difference in this kids life.
A remarkable story and a amazing woman.
God put you in the right place at the right time, praying for the man and his family, it hard out here and we all need someone to talk too and it’s no always family.
Thank you for stopping and doing what you could, which happen to save a young mans life! Amazing!
God bless!
God sure choose that time for this wonderful lady to help another! We just never know when someone will need us and it sounds like this young man needed Ms. Washington that day! I sure hope things for this young man get better and someone can help him with whatever he felt was going wrong!
An angel on earth sent to guide this young man through his darkest day. Thank you 😇😇😇
We all have the potential for helping someone and acting on your impulse can make a huge difference. In the case of the young man on the bridge Ms. Washington demonstrates her character and strength to commit and make a difference in a stranger’s day and indeed his life. I admire her and hope the young man will realize he matters and his life is really worth living.
Thank the Lord above for people like you Ms Washington!
This is amazing. Glad she was the person who saw this man and chose to help. It’s very rare to see people do things like this these days. She is a hero!
The world needs more Ms. Washingtons. Thank you for caring. You Rock!
One small gesture. One thought to stop and at least try. Thank you for trying … you saved someone from dying. Thank you for being the change we need to see. Thank you making the world a better place for you and me. Peace and blessings 💜
We all need good people Amen
What a wonderful Lady, Truly an Angel
Ms. Washington I don’t even know you but I love you!!!! You’re the real hero!!! Thank you for being wonderful please don’t let this cruel world ever change you. Xoxo
Remarkable story and an amazing woman. Thank YOU!
Thank you, Tanya for following your instinct and getting involved. I pray that the young man gets the help he needs to thrive.
Bless you.
Crying like a baby over here. This is a beautiful story! Ms. Washington didn’t just save him, she saved his family and friends from an immense heartbreak. Thank you, Ms. Washington! I pray the young man gets the additional help he needs.
i’m sure you must’ve been scared to death of what the outcome was going to be, you did an amazing thing so glad that you were able to talk him out of taking his life! Amazing, really touched my heart!! 🙏🏽🌹
Ms. Washington you’re an amazing woman. Thank you.
God bless this Good Samaritan 🙏🏽The world needs more like her ❤️
THATS MY MOM SO GREATFUL FOR HER🫶🏾❤️
You’re blessed
What a true Hero ! Wtg Ms. Washington god sent this young man a true angel!!
Thank God He sent this beautiful heart lady to help this man. Just providing a warm smile n kept him distracted helped keep him safe until another came to help get him to place that knows what to do professionally.
Thank you MS. Washington
God love you! What a good heart!
this brought tears to my eyes😭 you are a true hero miss washington!
I am so happy to hear that Mrs Washington was able to save someone’s life! Wish there someone like this out there the morning my cousin bestfriend/cousin jumped! Good stories are always great to hear and every life saved is a blessing! Thank you so much Mrs. Washington!
Positive story, long overdue. I agree, we need a little more Ms. Washington in this world.
Absolutely wonderful, Ms. Washington!! Truly looking out for your neighbor. I applaud you.
What an amazing Lady. God bless you Ms. Washington. Hopefully the young man will get the help he needs and you two remain friends for life.
Ms washington
You are a hero God put you in this place at that time ,thank you for saving him
God bless you 🙏🏻
God placed Ms. Washington in that moment and at that place for “such a time as this”. I join in prayer for this young man and that things would look up for him. Thank you for sharing this encouraging story of love. Ms. Washington is a hero and an inspiration.
God put Ms Washington on that bridge to save this young person .
Thank you
GOD BLESS YOU MS. Washington! I believe that GOD sends his 👼 Angel’s to take charge & watch over us! I 🙏 pray for this young 👨 man to get the help he so desperately needs! Thank you for ❤ Caring! Most people would have just drove by or watched & did nothing?
How awesome is that, Thank you for doing that, you are a hero, I hope you stay in touch with this gentleman and let him know he really does have a friend and an angel on his side.
The Lord used you in a mighty way! Thank you Ms. Washington for standing in the gap, alongside this young man! You are a wonderful testimony of the Lord at work!
GOD BLESS YOU Ms. Washington! God places us in the right place at the right time. You were exactly who that young man needed at that time. Listening to your interview to here the calmness in your voice and your words were enough to bring peace to the young man. I wished someone was around in 1992 when my family member jumped that bridge 😪. Blessings to you and your new family. ❤
Nice ending to a bridge jump attempt…I just hope Mrs. Washington kept to her word and remains in touch with this young man….he can’t afford another disappointment in his life
That’s so very nice of Ms Washington to take the time to stop a despondent stranger from suicide. It takes a lot of hutzpah to do that! She truly has a gift given to her from above. I’m happy to see her sharing some love these days as we’re all so grumpy. Ms Washington is an Angel sent from Heaven above. Thank you!
What an amazing woman. Thank you for showing us that there’s still some good people out their. Ms. Washington may God continue to bless you.
You are amazing. That is wonderful. God is looking down on you and will reward you. Thank you so much. You are great.
You are an Angel Ms Washington!!!
This world needs more GREAT people like this! What a Hero!
🙌 Blessings awsome job Ms. Tonya Washington My Sis, may God keep using you .Tonya you are truly A hero the way you touch people hearts. Praying that the young man gets the helps he needs.
God bless you for saving that persons life. There are wonderful and caring people in the world still, with all the evil! You are amazing sweetheart! That was very dangerous on the bridge. You are truly a hero!😭
If there were more people like Ms. Washington, fewer people might not jump
WTG Ms. Washington
THANK YOU MS. WASHINGTON. YOU WERE TRULY AN ANGEL THAT GOD PLACED THERE AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME. HOPE THE TWO OF YOU CAN BE FRIENDS. GOD BLESS YOU AND ALL PEOPLE LIKE YOURSELF THAT TAKES THE TIME AND INITIATIVE TO HELP OTHERS IN THEIR TIME OF NEED.
God bless you ms. Washington! the lords angel i have thru the years lost over 20 friends from their desperation. wish someone or i could have reached them like you did for this young man.
This shows there is still human kindness in this world. Thank you Ms. Washington for your kindness! You are truly an inspiration for us all.
Awwww Tanya I am so proud of you for saving this young man’s life, we need more people in the word who are as observant and caring as you are. I am so proud to call you my friend ❤️
The world needs more like her