WERE 14. NOW THAT ALL NETS ARE IN PLACE, THE HOPE IS THAT THEY CAN SAVE MANY MORE LIVES. HERE IS NBC'S JAKE BOARD. >>> THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE IS AN AMERICAN ICON OF STRENGTH, PERSEVERANCE ME BUT FOR TOO MANY PEOPLE, IT SYMBOLIZES SOMETHING ELSE. >> I DROVE MYSELF HERE BECAUSE I FELT LIKE I NEEDED TO GET MYSELF OUT OF PAIN. I REMEMBER SEEING HIM AND WHEN I STOPPED OFF MY MOTORCYCLE, HE APPEARED TO LOOK IN MY DIRECTION, THAT IS WHEN HE JUMPED. I YELLED SOMETHING TO HIM. >> WHATEVER HE YELLED WAS ENOUGH TO DISTRACT ME AND PULLED ME OUT OF THAT DARK PLACE I WAS IN. >> I THOUGHT HE WAS GONE. I WAS RUNNING UP THERE AND I SAW HIS T-SHIRT. >> I NEVER LOOKED UP, IT WAS SOMETHING IN HIS VOICE, THE COMPASSION IN HIS VOICE, THAT IS WHAT SAVED ME. >> YEARS AFTER HE INTERRUPTED THE SUICIDE ATTEMPT, HE DOES NOT SHY AWAY FROM THAT LOWEST MOMENT HERE IT'S >> I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT YOUR WORST DAY PREPARES YOU FOR YOUR BEST DAY. >> ON AVERAGE, PEOPLE HAVE LEFT TO THEIR DEATHS HERE EACH YEAR, MORE THAN 2000 SINCE 1937. >> THE FIRST SUICIDE OCCURRED WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF THE BRIDGE OPENING. >> AND WHEN THEY STARTED PATROLLING THE BRIDGE IN THE 90s, PART OF THE JOB WAS TO LOOK OUT FOR PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE ON THE EDGE. >> I WOULD AVERAGE FOUR TO SIX PEOPLE A MONTH WHO WERE EITHER ON THE SIDEWALK WE WOULD SEE OR TALK TO, OR IN THEIR CAR WHO WERE THINKING ABOUT IT. >> HE TALKED WITH HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE AND HELPED MANY OF THEM, SHARING STORIES IN THE BOOK CALLED, "GUARDIAN OF THE GOLDEN GATE." IT WAS NOT UNTIL NOW, AFTER YEARS OF SUICIDE PREVENTION AND ADVOCACY IN THE POWER OF THE DETERRENT, THAT HE INSTALLED THAT NET, THE $224 MILLION PROJECT. >> YOU DON'T EVEN REALLY SEE THEM UNLESS YOU ARE RIGHT ABOVE THEM. >> WE TALKED TO THE FEW PEOPLE WHO SURVIVED A JUMP FROM THE BRIDGE AND THEY WILL SAY, THE SECOND THEIR HANDS LEFT THE RAILING, THEIR LIFE LAST BEFORE THEIR EYES AND THEY EXPERIENCED IMMEDIATE REGRET. >> THE NETS OFFER A SECOND CHANCE. >> THE NET HAS A DETERRENT EFFECT FOR 2 REASONS. ONE IS IT VISUALLY INTERRUPTS YOUR VIEW OF THE WATER, IT REMINDS YOU THAT YOU ARE HERE. AND TWO, IT IS DESIGNED TO HURT. FALLING 20 FEET INTO THE STEEL MESH IS EVIDENTLY LIKE HAULING INTO A CHEESE GRATER. IT WILL NOT END YOUR PAIN, IT WILL MAKE IT WORSE. THOSE TWO THINGS TOGETHER ARE WORKING. BEFORE THE EVEN US, SUICIDES AT THIS BRIDGE FELL BY HALF. >> IF YOU'RE ABLE TO GET PEOPLE THROUGH THE PEAK OF THEIR PAIN, THEY WILL NOT GO ON TO ATTEMPT AND GO ON TO LIVE LONG AND PRODUCTIVE LIVES. >> MINISTRY FOR KEVIN. THESE TWO MEN FROM THE SIDE OF THE BRIDGE ARE FRIENDS AND PEERS IN SUICIDE PREVENTION. >> SOMETHING HAS GOT TO BE AT PLAY TO SAY THAT WE CARE. >> THOSE FOLKS CAN COME ACROSS, ALL OF A SUDDEN, I HAVE HAD ENOUGH, THAT IS WHAT THIS WILL HOPEFULLY PREVENT. >> PERHAPS SOMEONE EVERY DAY WHO WALKED ONTO THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE WILL WALK OFF. >>> LET'S BE CLEAR, THIS IS NOT A SOLUTION TO THE MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS THAT WE ARE SEEING IN THIS COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD, WHERE SUICIDE RATES ARE IN FACT GOING UP IN MANY CASES. WE WILL NEED, EXPERTS SAY, IT'S OVER-- A TOTAL OVERHAUL OF HOW WE VIEW MENTAL HEALTH. THIS REALLY CAN BE EFFECTIVE. IT IS NOT JUST THE GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE. THIS IS SOMETHING WE ARE SEEING AROUND THE WORLD. ICONS, SCULPTURES, STATUES, BRIDGES, TOWERS, ALL OF THEM PUTTING IN THE SYSTEM FOR EXACTLY THE SAME REASON. AS A RESULT, PSY
