What's Your Story with Jaime & Stan

What’s Your Story, Kevin Briggs? The Highway Patrolman Who Talked Hundreds Back From the Edge

Episode Summary

In this powerful and deeply human episode, Jaime and Stan sit down with Kevin Briggs — the former California Highway Patrol sergeant whose steady voice, calm presence, and incomparable empathy helped guide hundreds of people away from suicide attempts on the Golden Gate Bridge. What begins with humor and lightness quickly opens into one of the most candid, courageous conversations in our show’s history. Kevin shares the traumas he survived long before he ever put on a uniform — childhood abuse, cancer at age 20, traumatic brain injuries, and the emotional toll of decades in law enforcement — and the unexpected path that led him to become a global voice for suicide prevention and mental health advocacy. Through raw honesty, hard-earned wisdom, and a surprising amount of humor, Kevin reminds us that courage is not only found in heroic acts — but in simply choosing to stay.

Episode Notes

What begins with humor and lightness quickly opens into one of the most candid, courageous conversations in our show’s history. Kevin shares the traumas he survived long before he ever put on a uniform — childhood abuse, cancer at age 20, traumatic brain injuries, and the emotional toll of decades in law enforcement — and the unexpected path that led him to become a global voice for suicide prevention and mental health advocacy.

Through raw honesty, hard-earned wisdom, and a surprising amount of humor, Kevin reminds us that courage is not only found in heroic acts — but in simply choosing to stay.

KEY TOPICS COVERED

Growing up in Marin County → the early hardships no one saw
Enlisting in the United States Army and battling cancer at age 20
Surviving childhood abuse and decades of buried trauma
Working in corrections at San Quentin State Prison
Joining the California Highway Patrol and discovering the reality of the bridge
Handling 4–6 suicide interventions per month — with zero formal training
His communication approach: talk, behavior, and mood
What people on the bridge actually see when they look down
The emotional cost of the work — and why he refuses the word “saved”
The story behind his viral TED Talk - Kevin Briggs and new career as a global speaker
How to truly support someone struggling with suicidal thoughts
The loneliness epidemic — and why seniors are at the highest risk
The power of rapport, humility, and being someone’s “0.25 more”

MEMORABLE QUOTES

“They’re not looking at tomorrow. They have one singular thought — and they’re trying to find the courage for it.”
“Commonalities create comfort. My job is rapport. My job is hope.”
“If you go into negotiation with an ego, people get hurt.”
“Imagine the courage it takes to step over that rail. Now imagine the courage it takes to come back.”
“Loneliness is a silent killer — for every age.”

Where to listen & watch:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/lGHTKO53W2Q
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whats-your-story/id1768048076
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0aFWnedfyylxVs5vJrD8tY
Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c4c493e-e2f2-4b4b-bfd3-52174caeaf7c/whats-your-story-with-jaime-stan

Connect with Kevin Briggs
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/kevin.briggs.79/
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/guardianofthegoldengate/
Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinbriggspivotalpoints/
My Website: www.Pitotal-Points.com
My Email: Kevin Briggs@Pivotal-Points.com

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Got feedback or a guest recommendation? Email us at connect@jaimemarco.com