‘I just grabbed her and held on,’ woman receives VPD Award of Merit for bridge rescue

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – When Emilie Stevens left work one day last June and began her walk home, she never imagined she would end up giving a person a second chance at life.

Stevens, along with six other people were honoured by the Vancouver Police Department on Thursday with the Award of Merit at the 2018 Commendation Awards. The award is given to civilians who put themselves in danger to try and save a life, prevent a crime or capture an offender.

The then seven-month pregnant Vancouver physician had worked late and chose to go across the Granville Bridge, rather than her usual route home. As she crossed, she passed a young woman sitting on the sidewalk.

“Initially I walked past her, but something didn’t seem quite right. So, I turned around and I saw her standing on the bottom rung of the bridge and at that point I realized she was likely intending on committing suicide.

Stevens walked back and began to talk with the woman. She tried to talk the woman down for about 20 minutes as she called 911. Officers were delayed because someone matching the same description Stevens gave police was walking on the other side of the bridge.

“She saw the police car stop, realized what was happening and went to jump,” Stevens said. “I honestly didn’t think. I got in a bit of trouble from my husband later who said, ‘You could have been pulled over the bridge with this woman. What are you doing?’ But I just grabbed her and held on.”

She held onto the woman for a couple minutes before police arrived and pulled them both to safety. It was only then she realized what had just happened.

“I called my family and said I think I just saved a woman’s life on the way home from work and that was a bit stressful and scary,” she said.

Stevens was joined by more than 40 VPD officers who were also honoured for their service at the public ceremony. She accepted her award with her now six-month-old daughter, Lily, in her arms.

“I say Lily was my counterbalance because I was a bit heavier than usual and had a different centre of gravity than I usually would,” she said. “I hope that as my daughter grows us, if she unfortunately has mental issues, that someone else will be there to help her when she needed it.”

Although she doesn’t know the woman or what happened to her, she would do it again without hesitation. “I like to think that no matter what, she got another chance at the end of the day to get some help and get better.”

READ BELOW: VPD Commendation Ceremony Winners

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