Two probationary FDNY firefighters who were on their way to the academy Thursday saved a man from jumping off the RFK Bridge.
Richard Vergara, 34, spotted the distraught shirtless man on the bridge ledge at 4:53 a.m., while driving across the span to the FDNY’s Fire Academy on Randall’s Island.
The 14-year Marine Corps veteran, who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, initially thought he was a worker, “As I got closer, and I saw him with no shirt on, I realized he’s not a construction worker and that he’s trying to jump off the bridge.”
He got on the phone with 911 and his training as a marine and former Virginia cop kicked in.
“He had one leg over, he just had to get the other leg over. When I saw him, I ran over to him and ripped him off the wall,” Vergara said. “I said, ‘Hey, stop! What are you doing?’ I knew he wanted to commit suicide at that point so the first thing you do is make sure he doesn’t kill himself.”