Leaving work a few minutes late one Friday evening changed my outlook on life and made me realise, not only how life is precious but also how mental health, while not visible to the naked eye, can be so fragile. It can be so debilitating and cause people to do the most extreme of things not imaginable to many.

As I left work and pulled off our industrial estate on to the main access road I noticed, what a first looked like a man lighting a cigarette with a large flamed lighter and thought nothing else of it. A few seconds later having driven off down the road; I looked back in my mirror to see the man ablaze and staggering across the road.


Immediately I slammed my car into reverse to get to the man and jumped out of the car. I shouted at him to get down and roll. When he didn’t I pushed him to the ground and rolled him over several times to try and smother the flames. This was when I noticed the flames were not going out but instead being fed with an accelerant the gentleman had doused himself in.


As the fire was still spreading I had no option but to remove the source of the fire; his clothes. With the clothes now removed I patted the fire out from the rest of his head, hair and body. Finally the fire was extinguished.


At this stage and due to the noise made from the initial shouting, two other men aided me in keeping the gentleman calm while I called the emergency services.While we waited for them to arrive, the gentleman explained that he did what he did in the hope that either he goes to heaven or that someone finds him and saves him which in turn alerts the correct authorities to his desperate plea for help.


When the emergency services finally arrived we found out that the gentleman had been missing all day and has a history of mental illness.The police and ambulance service, thanked me for saving the man’s life. Though all I can hope is anyone would do the same for me.

It seems strange having to tell this tale as it still seems a little unreal and I don't feel like I have done anything that anyone else wouldn’t have done.

For my actions, I will be awarded the High Sheriff’s Award in February.

1 in 4 of us will suffer mental health issues this year and no one should have to face it alone, or believe that there is no help available that they must take such drastic actions as that gentleman had to.

It is for this reason I have chosen to try and raise some money for Mind when I cycle the VeloBirmingham later this year.

Please support me and give whatever you can to help those get the help they truly need and deserve.

Thank you for your time


Tim