So. Utahns Advocate For Safety Barriers On Hurricane Bridge

If you've ever lost a loved one to suicide, you know that it is anything but a victimless crime.

Those loved ones, whether friends or family, are left wondering things like: Why did they do it? Could I have done more to stop it? Why wasn't my love for them enough? How could they have been so hopeless? ... and more.

Sadly, in Utah we lose nearly 700 people every year to suicide.

And perhaps even more sad is the fact that a bridge connecting two communities in Southern Utah has become a popular choice for those who decide to take their own lives.

The Hurricane Bridge, built in 1937, has had many suicides over the years (perhaps dozens, although no stats have been kept), including one last weekend.

Eliza Maravilla is hoping to do something about it.

Maravilla has started a petition online at change.org to try and get support for adding safety barriers to the bridge, which stands approximately 120 feet above the Virgin River.

From her petition page: "This bridge has been the site of many tragic incidents since 2001 that I know of since that’s when I moved to the area. Too many lives have been lost to suicide from individuals jumping off this bridge. To reduce the accessibility and therefore the likelihood of such incidents, safety barriers must be installed on both sides of the bridge. Such measures have been shown to effectively deter self-harm and suicide attempts in similar locations worldwide."

It's not a foolproof method, of course, but statistics have shown that once a person with suicidal thoughts is "interrupted" in their immediate suicidal ideology, they tend to realize that suicide is not the answer to their problems that they seek.

Maravilla adds: "The impact of installing these barriers is not only about preventing tragic loss, but also about sending a visible sign of commitment to mental health from our local government. It is about standing up for a community in which everyone, young or old, is valued and protected."

To see and possibly sign the petition, click here.

The Federal Government, in a project championed by former Utah Congressman Chris Stewart, has set up a national hotline for those struggling with mental health and suicidal thoughts -- 9-8-8 -- which features trained professionals in aiding the mentally distressed.

* Note: The Hurricane Bridge is often referred to as the Hurricane-LaVerkin Bridge as it connects the two communities, although an older, lower bridge, built in 1909 and no longer in daily use, is the actual Hurricane-LaVerkin Bridge.

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