How Gold Coast’s 2024 Local Hero saved a man’s life from a bridge above the M1

The instant Mia Sims saw a man standing at the edge of a bridge she knew something bad was about to happen. Read the GC Local Hero of the Year’s untold story

Driving along the Mudgeeraba Rd overpass above the M1, Gold Coast dance teacher Mia Sims spots something, sending chills down her spine.

The 20-year-old from Worongary, fresh from celebrating her parents’ wedding anniversary, was driving to visit her partner in Burleigh Heads when she glimpsed a lone man standing at the edge of the bridge.

“As soon as I saw him, I had this horrible feeling,” Ms Sims said.

“Something bad was about to happen.”

Ms Sims, clad in her pyjamas, made a U-turn at the roundabout and passed by the man again.

“I didn’t want to believe it, but I knew what was going on,” Ms Sims said.

“I felt like I was seeing things, no one else was stopping or even slowing down. And all I could think was how am I not supposed to do something? I just felt sick.”

The Mudgeeraba Police station near the Mudgeeraba Rd overpass. Photo: David Clark

Ms Sims said she immediately called her parents who called the police, but she quickly realised they were struggling to find her exact location.

“I started panicking and my parents were on the phone screaming, saying ‘Mia please don’t watch, please don’t look’,” she recalled.

Ms Sims drove to the Mudgeeraba Police Station hoping at least someone would be at the day station and banged on their door until an officer peeked through the blinds.

“The officer quickly opened the door, she must have seen the state I was in, and I told her there’s a man on the bridge,” she said.

A team of police officers were quickly dispatched and the M1 was temporarily shut down while officers negotiated with the young man.

Ms Sims said the incident in March last year left her and her family deeply shaken.

It was only in February this year, when her mother received a call about her being nominated for the 2024 Gold Coast Local Hero award, that she found out the man had survived.

On Tuesday, an emotional and tearful Ms Sims was officially awarded the title at the annual ceremony.

Mia Sims at the Gold Coast Australian of the Year Awards 2024 at Skypoint Q1 for Gold Coast at Large. Picture, Portia Large.

She told guests at the Q1 SkyPoint room: “This isn’t about me at all. This is about raising awareness for mental health. I want to encourage you all to check up on family and friends because the conversation could really save a life.”

She told the Bulletin later for a long time afterwards she wasn’t aware if he had survived: “For months, I just had to hope I had done enough.

“I didn’t tell many people about this incident so I was very shocked when I was nominated.

“But what I did isn’t this spectacular thing. I’m just a normal person and I tried my best to help him, to do the normal, humane thing.”

Ms Sims said since the incident she had become an active advocate for mental health, especially as a teacher who works with young kids.

“I found that everyone knows someone who has experienced a battle with mental health,” she said.

“It’s everywhere and sometimes it’s as simple as asking someone ‘are you okay?’”

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