"Mike" has been found! And his name is Neil.
A man has launched a campaign to find the man who talked him out of a suicide attempt has been re-united with the stranger who saved his life.
In the days of the internet, finding people is easier than you might think, even when the only information you have on them is that they are a good Samaritan.
Jonny Benjamin launched a campaign last month called "Find Mike" in an effort to find the man who halted his suicide attempt in 2008. He was talked down from the edge of Waterloo Bridge, London, and dubbed his hero "Mike" after the anonymous hero left without introducing himself.
Now an ambassador for mental health charity Rethink Mental Illness, 26 year old Schizophrenic Jonny, used his connections with the charity to launch a nation-wide hunt for the man who saved him. It gained traction on TV, radio and papers, with millions of people getting involved to bring the two back together.
Eventually, "Mike" was found. 31 year old Personal Trainer Neil Laybourn from Surrey was told about the campaign by his fiancee and knew immediately that it was him they were looking for.
"I couldn’t believe it when I saw the campaign," he said.
"I got in touch straight away. I was so pleased to see how well Jonny was doing, I had thought about him over the years and had always hoped he was OK."
He seemed amazed at the positive influence he had had on the young man's life and was entirely humble, despite the fact that he prevented a tragedy.
"When we met, it was clear how much that encounter on the bridge was a pivotal moment in his life – which was great to hear. I didn’t feel it was that big a deal, I did what anyone would do. I wasn’t trying to fix his problems that day, I just listened. I can honestly say, hand on heart that Jonny is one of the nicest people I have ever met, he’s a great bloke and it’s brilliant to see him smiling again. We’ll definitely stay in touch."
The two met on Tuesday for the first time in 6 years, this time under far happier circumstances.Jonny spoke emotionally about how meeting Neil made him feel, saying he feels lucky to have a friend like Neil. Considering circumstances could have swung in an entirely different direction, this incident is bound to have forged a bond between them.
He hopes his success will give others like him the confidence to fight their own mental health issues and to remember the people who help along the way.
"This campaign means so much to me, not only because I’ve found Neil, but because I’ve had the opportunity to speak out about mental illness and suicide."
"I also hope that my story will give hope to other people out there who may be struggling with mental illness. I want everyone to know that you can recover and that things can get better. I also hope people will be inspired by what Neil did."
"It really shows how the simple act of listening, can be a huge support to someone who struggling with their mental health and we can all learn from that."
And it's not only the BBC that has shown it's support for the search with it's TV features. celebrities including Stephen Fry and musician Kate Nash and Boy George have all tweeted their support.Fry is well known to suffer bi-polar disorder and is a great ambassador for all things mental health related.
The charity have now posted a Youtube video of the pairs emotional reunion, with Jonny explaining the emotion and affection he feels for Neil. Check it out and have the tissues at the ready!
Gemma Clark