Mom of man who threatened to jump off bridge says state lacks mental health, substance abuse services
By Ophelie Jacobson
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DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — Note to readers: KCCI is not naming the woman’s son in this report because, at this point, he has not been charged.
The mother of a man who threatened to end his life by jumping off a bridge Monday afternoon is calling on the state to provide more mental health and substance abuse services.
Laurie Huss-Steils said she received a call from her son, who was threatening to jump off the bridge at Keosauqua Way and University Avenue, where he climbed over the railing.
“He told me how he’s almost 40 years old and he was just tired,” Huss-Steils said. “He’s tired of failing. He’s tired of being an addict. He’s tired of everything. And he just doesn’t want to deal with that anymore. There’s no place to go.”
She stayed on the phone with him until she confirmed he was safe. Police officers stood by as her son got on the other side of the railing. Huss-Steils said she is grateful for the officers who made sure he was safe.
“I would definitely like to thank them for that patience that they had with him as I was talking him off the ledge,” Huss-Steils said.
One of those police officers was Des Moines police Sgt. Paul Parizek.
“He was kind of at the end of his rope at that moment,” Parizek said. “We were able to explain to him that tomorrow is another day. The problems he was facing right now … you don’t want to look at permanent solutions for temporary problems.”
Windsor Heights Police Department said he was taken into custody a short time later after Des Moines police negotiated a successful conclusion of the incident.
According to police, he had multiple outstanding warrants. Police said the man was the driver in a police chase that started in Windsor Heights after officers attempted a traffic stop. Police initially broke off the chase because the driver started driving into oncoming traffic.
Shortly after, police said they located the car again. The driver then exited his car and started running onto the bridge.
Huss-Steils said she is happy her son is alive today, but she said she is worried about what’s next for him. She said her son has struggled with addiction for years and has been in and out of jail. She told KCCI feels like there’s not enough mental health and substance abuse services to help her son.
“When your son or daughter is an addict in this state without services, you don’t know what moving forward means anymore,” Huss-Steils said. “I’m still working out all the answers in a state that is not giving my son services.”
She said she doesn’t know who to call or what to do. But she does know one thing: she loves her son and won’t give up on him any time soon.
“This is my son. It doesn’t matter who you are, you should care about people. It’s just easy to say they’re criminals or they’re addicts. Every addict, every inmate is somebody’s child,” Huss-Steils said.
Police said the man was taken to a local hospital for evaluation on Monday. Police said he will likely be booked at the Polk County Jail. The man’s name has not appeared on the jail’s website.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can talk with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or sending a text message to 988, or you can chat online here: 988lifeline.org/chat
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