Suicide survivor Kevin Hines tells others: Don't s suffer in silence, share your story

Oakland, Calif. (KTVU) - "It's okay not to be okay. It's not okay not to ask for help." That's the message from a man who attempted to take his life by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge in 2000.  

At age 19, Kevin Hines had been diagnosed with bi-polar and felt there was no other solution but to end his life. So he took the leap and threw himself off the Golden Gate.

Hines says moments after he jumped, he immediately knew it was a mistake and was filled with regret. 

When he hit the water, he says he experienced the most physical pain he had ever felt.

Hines became among only 1% of those who have jumped from the Golden Gate Bridge to survive. 

He is now taking the life and death lesson he's learned and sharing it with others who feel like they have nowhere else to go.

He's become a mental health advocate and an outspoken activist for suicide prevention. 

Hines is currently working on a documentary titled, "Suicide: The Ripple Effect." It highlights the stories of tragedy that have led to suicide, as well as the widespread effects of suicide on people's lives.

Hines also says that his film shares stories of hope and triumph over tragedy and the will to stay alive.

He is encouraging people to talk about their problems, to reach out and seek help. "You don't have to suffer in silence," Hines says.

He also tells people that by sharing their stories they may in turn be helping others who are similarly suffering.