Heroic Derry bus man Ronan Ward says he just hopes the Strabane man he tried to help is alright

Heroic bus man Ronan Ward, who prevented a man jumping off a bridge in Strabane early on Saturday, says he just hopes the person is alright.
Derry bus man Ronan Ward.Derry bus man Ronan Ward.
Derry bus man Ronan Ward.

The Blighs Lane man was applauded by passengers and hailed a hero after stopping his Dublin-bound bus to go to the aid of a man standing on a bridge over the Mourne.

The ‘Good Samaritan’ phoned police after seeing a young man and woman remonstrating with the man.

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“He was very, very distressed,” said Mr. Ward. “I approached him and he didn’t want to talk at all.

“I tried to bring him round, saying, ‘Come on, why don’t you come on the bus with me to Dublin and we’ll go and get a fry?’ but he was really distressed and started shouting, ‘You don’t know what it’s like to be depressed.’”

Mr. Ward said the man had stepped to the outside of the railings over the icy river.

“We just grabbed a hold of him. We were struggling with him for about ten minutes trying to keep a hold of him before the police arrived.

“We were really running out of energy and I don’t know what would have happened if they hadn’t arrived when they did,” said Mr. Ward.

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