ATLANTA — T.I. is being called a hero after he stopped a suicide attempt Wednesday in Atlanta.
The 30-year-old hip-hop star rushed to the scene after he heard about a man who was prepared to jump off the 22-story V103 radio station building.
"Something in my heart just said, 'You need to help,' " the rapper, whose real name is Clifford Harris Jr., told People of his decision to get involved.
After he arrived, T.I. videotaped a message that negotiators showed to the man.
"I told him, 'It's not that bad' and [said] that I was there for him and [that] 'there is nothing that you can't get through as long as you are willing to put the time and energy into it,' " he told the man in his message, adding, "'but first thing is first. You're going to have to come on down here and holler at me.' "
About 20 minutes later, the man decided to come down off the building and T.I. had a "heart to heart" with him.
"The first thing I said to him was, 'Man, what's up? What's wrong?' " recalled T.I. "He just shook his head and took a deep breath and said, 'Everything.' He was kind of depressed and kind of just worn out by life. His demeanor to me seemed like a guy who just can't catch a break."
While he offered words of encouragement, T.I. said he tried to be real with the man.
"'I'm gonna come check you out and see if there is anything else I can do to help,' " he remembered saying. "'But I'm not saying I'm going to snap my fingers and life is going to be perfect from here on out.' "
The good deed comes just days before T.I. is due in court after being arrested on suspicion of drug possession last month in Los Angeles.
"It wasn't heroism," he said of his rescue efforts. "It was just me listening to my spirit. I have a very hard time taking any credit for it. It was God's work. I just showed up."
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