By Sara Nealeigh
The Bradenton Herald
TAMPA, Fla. — It was supposed to be a relaxing day of fishing with a friend, but the day turned into a rescue mission for one off-duty police officer.
Tampa police officer James Wilcher was off-duty Wednesday fishing in the waters below the Gandy Bridge with his friend, Chip Roberts, according to police.
Then they saw a man jump from the bridge.
They went to help the man and held him above water for about 30 minutes until Tampa police marine units arrived, according to police.
https://www.facebook.com/TampaPD/videos/2142451679359016/
When the marine unit arrived, the man was semi-conscious and Wilcher, Roberts and police pulled him from the water onto the marine unit’s boat.
“It wasn’t even 30 seconds after we got there that we cut the boat off and he dove right in,” Wilcher said to WFLA News Channel 8.
Wilcher told WFLA the man was unconscious when they found him.
The man was taken to a local hospital for treatment, according to police. WFLA reports the man is expected to survive.
For Wilcher, it’s part of being a cop, even on his days off.
“Officers, deputies, they’re never off even when they are off,” Wilcher told Spectrum Bay News 9. “I mean, we’re still called to take action whenever it’s needed.”
“I’m just thankful fate put us in the right spot at the right time, because that bridge is long and we were the only boat out there today, and for us to just be in the right spot where he jumped in was just amazing,” Roberts told Bay News 9.
A police aviation unit was able to capture some of the rescue on video.