Date: Thu, 9 Dec 1993 11:23:26 -0500
From: jwalsh@wilkes1.wilkes.edu (jeff walsh)

Computer Plea For Help Saves Suicidal Woman

FREDERICKSBURG, Va. (AP) O A Virginia college student was credited with saving
the life of a suicidal woman in Denver who was begging for help on a computer
network.

``Please anybody, talk to me,'' was the message Chris Glover read when he
tapped into Internet on Thanksgiving eve. ``I went to the top of the fire
escape. ... I wanted to jump. Please talk to me, I'm not playing.''

Glover, a Mary Washington College senior, typed: ``This is Chris. I'm here.''

For the next two hours from his townhouse in Fredericksburg, Glover and the
18-year-old University of Denver student sent messages.

The woman, a diabetic, said she was taking a new medicine and thought something
might be wrong with it, he said.

``I just kept talking to her,'' Glover said.

Eventually, the woman told Glover she was in the computer lab in the
engineering building on campus. Glover alerted campus security.

He called back several times to find out what had happened and was finally
told that the suicidal student had been found.

Campus security Officer Mickey Harris said Friday the woman had been
hospitalized and was getting counseling.

She was depressed, and her diabetes was ``acting up,'' Harris said.

When Glover returned to his computer Friday there was a message from Bob
Stocker, director of academic computing at the University of Denver.

It said: ``I thought you'd like to know your call may have prevented a
catastrophe. ... I'm sure you've made someone else's Thanksgiving a lot
happier than it might have been otherwise.''

 AP-DS-11-26-93 2307EST
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