The man who saved 150 suicides

"Guardian Angel with the accursed cliff" Don Ritchie - Australian, who saved from suicide more than 160 people. However, this is just the official figures, and the family of Don argue that potential suicide bombers were far more - about 500 people. How did Ritchie managed to meet in my life so many people willing to voluntarily give up their lives? It turned out that he lived near the cliff The Gap, a very popular place to settle scores with his life. He was called the "guardian angel with the accursed rock».



Born Donald Richie Taylor in 1925 in New South Wales. It is known that in 1939 he joined the Royal Australian Navy and during the Second World War he served on the ship «HMAS Hobart». Ritchie witnessed the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay on Sept. 2, 1945, and it was the official end of the war. He returned home and began working as an insurer.

On the sad statistics of The Gap Cape he first heard nearly half a century ago, after reading in a newspaper that up to 50 people each year commit suicide by jumping from this cliff. Don, who had seen war and death, was literally struck read, and he decided to try to save at least some of these poor, desperate people.



So he became the guardian angel of the cliff The Gap, which is, in fact, is a beautiful place with a breathtaking view. Unfortunately, many people come here not for the fact that from the height admire nature.

Don Ritchie lived near the cliff for many decades and is constantly watching him - barely caught sight of a lonely figure on the edge, he immediately threw everything and went there. He came to the unfortunate and began to talk softly, urging not to make rash act now and think again. Don suicide invited to his house for breakfast or a cup of coffee together, and often desperate people agree.

Together with his wife, whose name Moya, Don found for all these people kind words, a hot mug of tea or coffee and good advice, and many of them made the decision to live more in the house Richie. Later some of them were sent to them with Moyey cards and letters, which thanked for taking part in their lives.

However, talk of suicide was possible not all. So, once Don was almost killed himself when he tried to keep a girl who, in spite of the entreaties, still decided to jump.

'You can not just sit there and see them doing nothing "- has repeatedly said Don Ritchie. He wanted to save everyone, he hoped to help everyone, he could not forget about the damn cliff, day or night. For the salvation of the people of Don repeatedly received awards from the government, some of whom are Medal of Honor Medal of the Order of Australia, and in 2010 Don and Moya became citizens of the year.

Alas, Rock The Gap was left without his guardian angel in the summer of 2012, when 86-year-old Don Ritchie died. His wife survived the Don Moya, they also have three children, so called rock completely orphaned still can not. However, everyone knows that without Don Richie, who almost half a century of people on their guard as they themselves, this is the place ceased to be the same.

via www.peoples.ru/strong-spirit/don_ritchie/