Why I Jumped: My True Story of Postpartum Depression, Dramatic Rescue & Return to Hope

There are very few books that can hold my interest like this one did. Sure, Tina didn't go into great detail about the abuse and the rescue, but she included enough about them to tell her story very effectively. To do otherwise would have interfered with the message she was meant to tell. Yes, God was there throughout her life and He was answering her prayers - not with instant miracles, but through patient and loving people. This book was an eye opener for me. Even though I'd studied about clincal depression in the past, I didn't fully understand what it was like to suffer such an illness until reading "Why I Jumped." My profuse thanks go out to Tina and Wanda's publisher, Revell, for keeping the last chapters in. Those chapters provide much-needed information for the readers so we can recognize the symptoms of abuse or depression, and seek help for it before it's too late. Bravo!

Good book if you want to try and understand what would make someone want to do this like I did. The brain works in mysterious ways...

If you've ever been suicidally depressed like Tina, which I have, then this book may well change your whole life! The power of Tina's story is in the simplicity of her words, and the courage of her traumatized soul. I found myself crying from time to time while reading this book because it touched so many chords in my own broken heart. The fact that God used a patrolman to save her life is just one part of this incredibly moving and unforgettable story. I had never heard of Tina Zahn until I read this book, and now I can't stop telling people, especially those who are struggling with depression and trauma issues to read this book! You won't regret reading it either, I assure you it will speak to your heart in a graphic but tender way.

I have read literally thousands of books in my lifetime, but I have never read a book quite like this. First, I am from Wisconsin and have actually been to many of the places that Tina mentions in her story. Second, I too have struggled for many years with serious depression. I've never actually attempted suicide, but I came very close to it one night 10 years ago. It is only by the grace of God that I didn't attempt suicide that night. I truly believe that God intervened in my life that night. Even though I didn't yet know Christ as my Savior. I have struggled with serious depression off and on for the past 15 years. There have been five or six periods in my life where I have felt seriously depressed for months at a time. There is definitely a stigma in the church when it comes to depression. A lot of people simply don't know how to handle it. I could relate to so many of Tina's struggles. Tina's story is also my story. I am so thankful that Tina had the courage and strength to share such a deeply personal struggle with the world. I believe that this book will give hope to those of us who struggle with depression. But I believe it will also help those who have never had a problem with depression to be more compassionate and understanding. Struggling with serious depression can make you feel so alone and like there is no one who really understands. But this book showed me that I am not alone in my struggles and that even if no one else does, God understands and cares. I cried numerous times as I read this book. This book has helped me believe that there is hope and help is available. I do not have to suffer alone. Reading Tina's story also makes me want to begin counseling in order to deal with my depression and other issues openly and honestly. I thank God for sparing Tina's life and motivating her to share her story. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know how to people who struggle with depression. I also recommend this book to friends and family of people who are depressed. I thank God for motivating me to buy this book. This is one book I know I will never forget.

This is an amazing story. Thank God, Tina Zahn lived to tell it. In this well-written and easy-to-read account of a troubled life that eventually leads to an attempted suicide, we learn the true story behind the sensational headlines/video footage of a young woman's leap from Wisconsin's tallest bridge. Battling severe postpartum depression after the birth of her second child, coupled with unresolved traumas of sexual abuse by her stepfather that began at the tender age of five, we indeed learn why Tina Zahn jumped. Remarkably, all the elements were in place to rescue her. The book begins with the dramatic call to 9-1-1 by her husband and the ensuing high-speed police chase, along with the swift actions of the officer who reached out and grabbed her wrist, saving her from a 200-foot plunge and certain death. She then goes back in time and tells the wrenching account of her stepfather's abuses (she didn't discover he wasn't her biological father until many years later) and her mother's neglect. One can't help but applaud Zahn's bravery for sharing her story and for including useful reference material at the end to help us all recognize the signs of sexual abuse and depression, and where to go for help. This is a spiritual journey and I recommend it not only for readers learning to diagnose signs of depression (postpartum and otherwise), but also to attain a greater understanding of these illnesses and how to cope with loved ones who may be suffering. Readable in an afternoon. From the author of "A Line Between Friends," McKenna Publishing Group.