One man’s fast reaction saves a helpless university student from taking her life.

A security camera caught a chilling scene on video last week, May 10, at a train station in Fujian Province, China, when a university student attempted to commit suicide by jumping in front of an incoming train.

The incident happened just before 5 p.m. local time at Xianyou Station, and the footage was uploaded to foreign media People Daily’s (人民日報) Facebook page, which you can view here:

In the video we see commuters lined up on the station platform awaiting the arrival of a train, when one woman makes a sudden run for the tracks, towards the path of an incoming train.

Almost as soon as she makes a run for it, a male station attendant standing nearby sprints after her, and is able to grab her and pull her back only a split second before she reaches the edge of the platform.

There appears to be a slight struggle as the man frantically tries to pull the young woman away from the edge not a moment too soon, as the train comes screeching to a halt right where the two lie.

With mere seconds between the time the young woman made a run for it and the time the train approached, it could’ve ended badly for not just her, but the station attendant too, had he happened to be pulled onto the tracks with the woman. But thanks to his quick thinking and selfless action her life was spared. Hopefully the woman gets the help she needs, and can look back with gratitude and thank the man who saved her life. We for one are certainly grateful for his heroics, and for other people like him who reach out to others when they’re at their lowest.

If you or someone you know is in Japan and having suicidal thoughts, there are people here to help. Click here for more info.

Source, images: Facebook/人民日報