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HCSO deputies honored for saving man hanging off overpass

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas – After a dramatic rescue was captured along Interstate 45 in north Harris County Sunday, the heroes at the center of it shared their stories on Tuesday.

Cellphone video shows more than a dozen people scramble to save a 21-year-old man who was trying to take his own life.

“It was not easy. There is video from the bottom of the bridge There was no video at the top. Everything was happening at the top. At the top, I see Mr. Leal full of mud, water, mud, and oil,” said Eustorgio Garcia Flores, who was one of the first people to pull over.

He watched Harris County Senior Deputy Jesse Leal and Deputy Rebecca Cruz risk their lives to save the man.

Credit: Provided
Cell phone video captured the man hanging off the overpass as a deputy tried to pull him back over and bystanders reaching out to catch him in case he fell. 

“He was dangling. It was about 200 pounds of dead weight. I’m not the biggest guy and the rail was as big as this, so we were both literally over the rail trying to get him back on the safe side,” said Leal.

The deputy insists the real heroes were on the road below.

“There were at least 15 citizens down there with blankets. Total random strangers came in to help,” said Leal.

Leal hurt his knee during the rescue.

MORE: Two Harris County deputies save man from falling off I-45 overpass

The identity of the rescued man has not been provided by authorities but the 21-year-old was taken to the hospital.

“I opened the door to speak with him. I asked him, what’s your name? He told me his name. I said what’s going on? He looked at me and just started crying. He just started balling,” said Deputy Cruz.

Law enforcement officers are often the first ones there when someone is in crisis. For once, the video of Sunday’s rescue shows the distance some go to protect and serve.

Credit: KHOU
Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez thanks the deputies for their heroic work over the weekend. 

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