UNSUNG HEROES...
EXETER TAXI DRIVER RACES TO THE AID OF DISTRESSED MAN ON BRIDGE
A Devon taxi driver says he was left trembling after sav- ing a reportedly sui- cidal man from the edge of a bridge. DevonLive reports that Cristian Dumi- trescu had been walking home from a friend’s house when he spotted some people on Exe Bridge in Exeter. He soon realised they were distressed and went over to see what was hap- pening. Cristian, who works for Apple Taxis, said: “I was heading home to Alphington Street after a party at a friend’s house.
Cristian Dumitrescu
“For some reason I chose to walk rather than get a taxi, it’s about a one-mile journey. “I saw a man and a woman on the bridge. I went over and saw the woman was on the phone and crying.
“The man was on the other side of the railings and wanted to jump, I realised he was crying too.” The woman was on the phone to the police who were try- ing to keep her calm. Cristian realised what was going on and tried to help. He said: “I said the first thing that came to my head, which was ‘Hello mate, I’m your taxi driver – remember me?’. “I had never met him before but I thought this might help him focus. “I said ‘Please wait, speak with me’. He
Exe bridges in Exeter
was literally about to jump so I knew I had to keep talking to him.” Cristian managed to keep the man talk- ing for around three minutes and then persuaded him to come with him to the grassy area at
the end of the bridge. He said: “I’d just got him on to the grass when the police arrived. I’m still in shock now, I’m trembling.” Cristian believes he was sent there to help the man by a powerful force.
He said: “It really feels as if I was sent there, there was something inside me. I don’t know why I chose to walk home, but if I hadn’t that man could be dead now.” It’s not the first time Cristian has been involved in an heroic rescue. Last year he raced into a burning build- ing to save one of his regular taxi cus- tomers from the almshouses near Exeter College.
Mmmm.....How is it that brave and kind- hearted people, such as Cristian, are also so modest? - Ed
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JANUARY 2020
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