CINCINNATI — After struggling with his own mental health for years, one former Cincinnati sports reporter is making sure others feeling the same way will see messages of hope in places he was at his darkest.

What You Need To Know

  • Brandon Saho is a former Cincinnati sports reporter who struggled with his mental health 

  • Saho started his own podcast called The Mental Game, talking with athletes, coaches and celebrities about their mental health 

  • Saho is helping get signs of hope along the bridges in Cincinnati, where he had many dark moments himself 

It was about two and a half years ago when Brandon Saho was walking along the bridges from Northern Kentucky to Cincinnati contemplating ending his own life. But now, he’s making sure other people that are in the same situation have the help that they need.

“I made that walk so many days, nights going to Reds games, going out for four nights of fun," Saho said. "But also some of my worst nights happened on that bridge.”

Brandon Saho walks along the Roebling Bridge. (Courtesy of The Mental Game)

Since then, Saho has quit his dream job as a sports reporter in his hometown of Cincinnati, gotten help for his mental health and now has a new dream job- hosting The Mental Game podcast, interviewing celebrities and athletes about their own mental health. And he travels the country speaking to students and businesses about his story.

Saho interviews a guest on his podcast. (Courtesy of The Mental Game)

“It gives me hope because I look back and I don't even recognize the person that used to stand on that bridge and question wanting to be alive anymore," Saho said. "And now to have a chance to be able to help other people that are feeling like I did with these signs of messages of hope and resources for suicide prevention. I really, really believe it's going to help save lives.”

And through his travels, he realized the bridges in Cincinnati, where he had his lowest moments, were missing something.

Brandon talks to students during a recent trip in Cincinnati. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)

“All across the country I would see these signs," he said. "It had the 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline number on it, or a QR code or messages of hope. And after seeing it in so many states in the country, I go, why is this not happening at home?”

Now, Saho is working with politicians, donors and foundations to make the signs come to life. And while Saho thinks back to those dark days, he thinks about what helped him make the decision to live: his mom.

Brandon and his mom embrace after she sees him speak in person for the first time. (Spectrum News 1/Katie Kapusta)

“I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her," Saho saids. "Because when I was on that bridge, there's one thing that I thought came to my mind where I didn't want to take my own life, and it was the thought of what my mom would feel like.”

“When he told me I was the reason why he was here, he couldn't jump off the bridge because me, of course I had the most deepest feelings you could ever imagine," Debbie Saho, Brandon's mom, said.

While the signs are expected to make their first appearance in May on the Purple People pedestrian bridge, the hope is to get messages of hope on all of the bridges in the area.  

“I scan a QR code, and then I see other people in that same spot talking about how they felt like me," Saho said. "And now they reached out for help. They went to therapy. They finally took care of their mental health and they feel happy again. I think it would give me hope to maybe reach out for help too. So that's our goal.”

If you or someone you know is struggling, please call the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988.