Former New Milford Police Officer Saves Would-Be GWB Jumper: Report

NEW MILFORD, N.J. — Jason Kesselman didn't think. He just reacted. And in doing so, he saved a man's life.

Kesselman, 44, was driving to Brooklyn on his way to work at about 6:30 a.m. when he saw a man climb over the bridge's pedestrian walkway rail and pulled over.

Kesselman, a former New Milford auxiliary police officer, told The Record the man looked like he was ready to jump. The man was gripping the support railing and his feet were dangling over the Hudson River.

Kesselman, a father of three, and another man immediately starting talk to the would-be jumper, the report said.

Although he doesn't remember exactly what he told the man, Kesselman said in the report it was something like, "Don't do this, we're here for you, we'll get help for you."

"I guess I just knew what I had to do, and I did it," Kesselman said in the report. He grabbed the man's belt and his waist and helped Port Authority police officers pull the 35-year-old man to safety.

Fort Lee emergency responders took the man to the hospital.

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