Monday, January 30, 2012
Neighborhoods Man who threatened to jump from Midtown tower — until T.I. stepped in — tells story
Posted by Thomas Wheatley @thomaswheatley on Mon, Jan 30, 2012 at 2:33 PM
On Oct. 13, 2010, Atlantans were temporarily distracted from their workdays by news that a man had climbed to the top of Colony Square in Midtown and threatened to jump 22 stories. Peachtree Street was closed, police mobilized, and workers in nearby office towers tweeted photos of a man on top of the building.
Then we heard — and confirmed with Atlanta Police — that T.I., the rapper and Atlanta native, dropped by the scene and managed to convince the man not to jump. Many folks questioned whether the surreal incident was an elaborate and desperate publicity stunt by T.I., who days later was scheduled to appear before a federal judge to discuss probation violations.
It wasn't. Weeks later the young man, Josh Starks, called public relations consultant Chris Schroder to ask about helping him with a speech he'd deliver at a Piedmont Park rally to raise awareness about suicide. Starks stayed in touch with the Schroder and is telling his story in an ongoing series called "Moments" on the Saporta Report, which Schroder publishes. The video — and the write-up of the progress Starks has made in his life — are worth your time.
Comments (3)
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Glad the young man didn't kill himself, and so forth, but it's sad that people in misery who aren't stars, or involved with stars, are so effectively overshadowed.
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Ummm...is it only me or does the story and video make it seem even more like a (continuing) publicity stunt?
Remember Wobble Girl? lol.
I think if I were standing at the precipice making my list of reasons to "jump" or "not jump," a visit from T. I. would go into the "jump" column.
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