RICHLAND TOWNSHIP -- The McNally Bridge carries Route 219 over the Stonycreek River and has unfortunately been a spot where people have gone to commit suicide.
An online petition was started this week to urge PennDOT and other public officials to do something to help change that.
More than 4,000 people have signed the petition, trying to enact change and end the stigma surrounding suicide.
The McNally Bridge stands about 190 feet tall.
It's a nice view for many, but tough to look at for Kevin James.
"April 30, 2010, my dad took his life off this bridge,” James said. “Called numerous people before it. No one really got the (gist) of what was going on."
James had turned 16 years old just days before.
And since his dad's death, this is only the second time he's stood near the bridge.
"It's scary thinking that someone took their life off that bridge, not just my father, numerous lives,” James said. “It doesn't end."
That's why Katrina Custer, a registered nurse in the mental health field, started a Change.org petition to get state officials to do something.
"The petition was mainly started to see how many people in the community felt the same way as I did and get ideas for what kind of changes could be made," Custer said.
She said people have suggested things like installing a fence on the bridge, netting underneath, or even signs with suicide hotline numbers.
"If anything, a small change could make someone have a second thought or second guess, it could be enough to save their lives or at least have time for someone to intervene and get them the help that they need before they would ultimately make this decision,” Custer said.
"Climbing ten seconds, you could change your mind,” James said. “You could have a second thought. To this day I thought, 'What if my dad would have thought what he's actually leaving behind?'"
Others who signed the petition include Amy Nielsen, president and co-owner of Croyle-Nielsen Therapeutic Associates, Inc., a behavioral health practice.
She said it's more than just a net or a fence; it's about ending a stigma.
"If we don't have a conversation, if we're not talking about it, then people aren't aware of the help that's out there and the resources,” Nielsen said. “They don't know that maybe people care and want to see people get better."
Thousands of people in the area have already signed, hoping to enact change and save lives.
A spokesman with PENNDOT said they understand the hurt and devastation that friends and family members that have lost loved ones have experienced, but the fencing would have significant negative impacts on department operations.
You can read the full statement here:
If you need help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
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