The Stranger on the Bridge

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What to expect

'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.

Critics Review

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
This moving memoir, which includes a contribution from his rescuer, Neil Laybourn, is a hugely inspiring account of how Benjamin became an activist and mental-health campaigner.
Sunday Express
Brave and honest and interesting
Cathy Rentzenbrink, author of Manual for Heartache and The Last Act of Love
Of the many books on personal experience The Stranger on the Bridge stands out in its entirely holistic approach. The reader is exposed to all angles of a complex journey - through good as much as through bad in a beautifully genuine and raw style. This book will be added to my suggested reading list to everybody interested in the field.
Adrian Garcia, The Black Dog Campaign, SANE
You gain a unique understanding of someone living with mental illness
OK Magazine
A personal appeal against the cultural entrenchment of the stigma that still surrounds male mental health.
Men’s Health
His work and book shows that continuing to talk about mental illness and extending that opportunity to others, really can make the biggest difference.
Happiful
A moving memoir looking back over these incredible achievements, as well as the many challenges that led Jonny to contemplate taking his own life.
Jewish News
Important and life-affirming memoir.
The Bookseller
One of the most important depictions of what it’s like to live with a mental health problem that I’ve ever read. I went away feeling empowered and reassured that I wasn’t alone.
Bryony Acketts, Mind Media

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