Story of a Real-Life Hero

Don Ritchie (1926–2012) was an Australian citizen. As a retired life insurance salesman, he lived opposite an area of eastern Sydney called The Gap.

Today he is remembered as ‘Angel of The Gap’.

But why so?

How did this ordinary man become a real-life hero?

That’s because he is credited with saving the lives of at least 160 people.

That’s just in official records. His family claims the number to be around 500.

The Gap, the area where he lived, is known for its spectacular beauty. But it’s also Australia’s most notorious suicide spot.

This rocky cliff has seen multiple suicide attempts over the years.

Ritchie helped save lives by intervening in suicide attempts.

If he saw someone on the cliff in distress, he would walk up to the person and ask, “Can I help you in some way?”

He would strike a conversation with the person and then invite them to his home for a cup of tea or coffee.

The old man, with his kind words, helped people change their minds about giving up on their lives.

Many of the people he helped would return years later to thank him for his efforts.

Over a course of nearly 50 years, Ritchie helped numerous people who were contemplating suicide.

All he did was strike a conversation with them and invite them for tea.

That makes you think, doesn’t it? How much of an impact our simple actions can make on people.

We don’t need to do extraordinary deeds to help those around us. Just simple things would do.

Thanks for reading. I’m Shikhil Vyas, a full-time writer and self-help blogger. If you liked what you read, you can follow VyasSpeaks.