A 15 year old was ready to jump off a bridge.

“I had already climbed over the railing and I remember this person coming up behind me – this man and I didn’t see his face and I don’t really remember what we talked about but I remember he was wearing a light brown jacket and he was a little taller than me. He just talked to me. He didn’t try to solve all my problems or give me any magic solutions or anything, we just talked like any two people meeting on an overpass in Cape Breton.”

As it turned out, there was another person there that was encouraging the teen to jump. Anyway, Mark Henick’s life was saved by this stranger. Now:

That stranger made a huge difference to Henick, who has since devoted his life to helping others who may have mental health issues. Henick has the unique qualification of having survived mental illness.

“I extend a hand to someone who may need help now,” said Henick. “I know first hand just how effective that is.”

Lastly, Mark is trying to find this stranger, who saved him in 2002.

Now he wants to find that person so he can thank him. As part of the #BellLetsTalk initiative to get Canadians talking about mental health, Henick has spoken on Canada AM and has tweeted his desire to find this person.

It now looks as though this will actually happen – Henick said he had a credible lead that he hopes will lead him to the person.

“What if I find him, what will I say – I don’t know,” said Henick. “And I still don’t know. But here we are.”

Read the entire story to find out more about Mark’s charity and more stuff.