Olivia’s mission to save lives
A YOUNG woman who tried to take her own life by jumping from a bridge now returns to the spot to leave messages urging others like her not to give up.
Former trainee hairdresser Olivia Bartlett, 21, from Gorton, suffered a catalogue of horrific injuries – including 15 broken bones – after falling from a bridge over a major road in Stockport two years ago. She was subsequently diagnosed with bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression.
Olivia spent three months being treated at a mental health unit. She has now made contact with the man who stopped traffic on the road beneath the bridge after she fell. He stayed with her until emergency services arrived.
And, as she continues her physical and mental recovery, Olivia – who recently lost a relative to suicide – has bravely spoken about her ordeal.
She hopes it will lead others struggling with mental health issues to get help.
Olivia, then aged 19, was doing an apprenticeship in hairdressing, but was struggling with her mental health.
She had suffered with anxiety and low mood for years, but hadn’t yet been diagnosed.
She said she couldn’t understand why she had such overwhelming feelings.
Olivia became withdrawn and shut herself off from friends and family.
She broke her back in two places and her neck in four places; broke seven ribs, her wrist, her collar bone; suffered a punctured lung; and sustained number of other internal injuries.
Olivia spent two weeks in Salford Royal Hospital.
“It is a miracle I survived,” she said. “I look back now and do kind of think someone must have been looking down at me.
“But at the time, I was just angry. I felt sad that lots of people who had also jumped from that bridge before died and I survived. I was devastated at how much it messed my life up.
“The pain I was in was excruciating. It was horrible. I couldn’t even wash myself or do anything. I wouldn’t have wished it on anyone.”
Having been treated at a mental health unit for three months, Olivia says those feelings started to fade.
She is now back home recovering with mum Nicola and brother Andrew. Olivia still struggles to walk.
Her family suffered tragedy when Nicola’s brother – Olivia’s uncle – Paul Bartlett took his own life in December.
Paul’s loved ones plan to do a bungee jump to raise money for mental health charities in his memory.
Olivia, a former pupil at St Thomas More High in Denton, said losing her uncle moved her to talk about her own harrowing experiences.
“We were all hurting so much,” she said.
“Knowing he had seen me go through it was so sad. I had been doing what I could, but that’s when I decided I wanted to do more to help others.
“Even though it still feels like yesterday, it kind of feels numb now and I don’t mind talking about it.
“I’ve learnt to deal with my illnesses now and not let them control my life.
“I’m not interested in myself. I just want to help anyone I can because I know how hard it is and how horrible it is.
“I am able to be an example and say to people ‘I’m still here, I got through it, so can you.’”
Olivia has now become involved with the Bridge the Gap project. Members leave handwritten messages at spots where people have self-harmed or threatened to hurt themselves.
She looks after the messages at the bridge she fell from. One reads: “Be strong because things will get better.
“It may be stormy now but it never rains forever.”
Olivia said: “I get such enjoyment out of it. You get so many people stopping and saying how amazing it is.
“I’ve had police officers thanking me, cars beeping at me as they go past.
“I get so much satisfaction from it,” she said.