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The Stranger on the Bridge
- My Journey from Suicidal Despair to Hope
- Narrated by: Britt Pflüger, Jonny Benjamin, Neil Laybourn
- Length: 6 hrs and 3 mins
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The Stranger on the Bridge
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Summary
'In my world, the word inspirational gets bandied around a lot, but Jonny Benjamin is truly deserving of that adjective.' – HRH The Duke of Cambridge
'Jonny Benjamin is the most inspirational man I know. His book shows us how remarkable the human spirit is.' Bryony Gordon, bestselling author of Mad Girl
In 2008, twenty-year-old Jonny Benjamin stood on Waterloo Bridge, about to jump. A stranger saw his distress and stopped to talk with him – a decision that saved Jonny's life.
Fast forward to 2014 and Jonny, together with Rethink Mental Illness launch a campaign with a short video clip so that Jonny could finally thank that stranger who put him on the path to recovery. More than 319 million people around the world followed the search. ITV's breakfast shows picked up the story until the stranger, whose name is Neil Laybourn, was found and – in an emotional and touching moment – the pair re-united and have remained firm friends ever since.
The Stranger on the Bridge is a memoir of the journey Jonny made both personally, and publicly to not only find the person who saved his life, but also to explore how he got to the bridge in the first place and how he continues to manage his diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. Using extracts from diaries Jonny has been writing from the age of thirteen, this book is a deeply personal memoir with a unique insight on mental health.
Jonny was recognised for his work as an influential activist changing the culture around mental health, when he was awarded an MBE in 2017. He and Neil now work full-time together visiting schools, hospitals, prisons and workplaces to help end the stigma by talking about mental health and suicide prevention. The pair ran the London Marathon together in 2017 in aid of HeadsTogether. Following the global campaign to find the stranger, in 2015 Channel 4 made a documentary of Jonny's search which has now been shown around the world.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
Critic reviews
What listeners say about The Stranger on the Bridge
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- Amy
- 01-04-20
Loved it!
Thank you Jonny for sharing your story. I heard you speaking about the book on James O'Brien's LBC show and loved the way you expressed yourself. This book is an amplification of that. Thank you for bearing your soul so that others can learn from your experiences and hopefully discover something of themselves in the process - I certainly did 😊♥️
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- Jay Dowell
- 10-06-18
Great insight into mental health
This showed the variety of circumstances that affect mental health and treatment that is available.
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1 person found this helpful
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- P. Harris
- 17-11-20
Superbly written and narrated by Johnny Benjamin
This is a beautifully written and honest account of a life with mental illness. I was gripped from start to finish
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- Suzanne
- 17-06-18
A must read
Loved this book, I have learnt so much. Thank you for sharing your life story.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Sim
- 02-01-21
A must read/listen
I loved this book, it made me smile and cry and most importantly it made me think about mental health differently. I’ve finished this book rooting for Johnny to continue to do well, being more aware of those around me and what they can be secretly going though and with so much hope.
Thank you Johnny for your openess and honesty, you and Neil are true inspirations
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- yellow top
- 20-05-19
Life changing
I'm delighted the author was also the narrator, as that added to the experience . An incredible story, by a truly incredible man. A great tool for those that want to educate themselves, and an inspiration for those with a particular interest in mental health.
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- Kindle Customer
- 22-07-18
Fantastic
Eye opening and life affirming. I loved it, needed to hear it. Love Jonny Benjamin
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- Amazon Customer
- 17-06-18
Wow - very moving and powerful
Intense but fascinating insight into Jonny's struggle with his own Mental Health and his incredible ongoing journey. Made all the more real by hearing it in his own voice.
Would happily recommend to anyone.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Jj
- 20-05-18
Excellent
It's about time this awful illness was talked about so many of us suffer and its soul destroying. Hats off to Johnny for bearing his soul and letting the world know how much stigma surrounds mental illness
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1 person found this helpful
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- ywin
- 27-07-18
A raw and honest voice from the other side
Jonny has caught my attention around a month ago in a very unique situation. I didn't know about his experience on that bridge, not about his MBE, not the documentary nor the details of the long long path he has been walking. He did put it out there in the open - the fact that he has been struggling with mental and physical issues - but I saw beyond that. The honesty, the raw exposure, it takes a lot for someone to lay bare all his darkest feelings, and above all, I saw the bright soul that is living, beating, throbbing underneath all of it. I was charmed. Still am.
I'm quite stranger to this world, but like Neil, I approached it, got closer and learned. I took a dive into Jonny's world in this audiobook, and the same struggling yet admirable personality kept shining through. It was dark and heavy at times, but just the fact that Jonny is there, letting these stories unfold in his own voice all this time, has shown how wonderful he is - it completes the story as in saying "It's hard, but we shall be marching on".
Thanks Neil for saving Jonny.
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